


So we can learn to pick ourselves back up

by coldflashwavebaby



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Age Changes, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Barry is adopted by Bruce Wayne, Bisexual Barry Allen, Bruce Wayne is a Good Dad, Canon-Typical Violence, Dick is older than Barry in this AU, Flirty Barry Allen, For story's sake, Iris West is The Flash, M/M, Minor Character Death, Non-Graphic Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Character Death, Temporary Character Death, Vigilante Barry Allen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2018-12-30 01:48:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 58,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12098058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coldflashwavebaby/pseuds/coldflashwavebaby
Summary: They were sitting at the dining room table with a man in a business suit. He seemed familiar, but Barry just couldn’t place it.Until the man met his eyes.The Batman.“Barry,” Ms. Jefferson, his social worker, greeted. “This is Mr. Bruce Wayne. He’s come to discuss taking you into his home…”-------Or the 'Bruce Wayne adopts Barry instead of Joe' AU





	1. The Bat Thing

Gotham nights were darker than most. It wasn’t for lack of street lighting, or because of the fog that naturally rolled in off the river, though. The city itself felt darker, heavier than any city Barry had ever been in.

 

It was a city of darkness, of mystery. A city overrun with the impossible. How was an eleven-year-old filled to the brim with curiosity supposed to resist?

 

Since Joe’s attempts to adopt him had gone through—something about conflict of interest, considering that he was the one who arrested Barry’s dad, which everyone thought was a load of crap—he’d been put into the system and moved to the first available place, which just so happened to be a foster home in Gotham. His foster parent was a crazy old woman who smoked more than she breathed and had so many kids, there was no way she remembered one from the other. She never even noticed when Barry snuck out in the middle of the night, after hearing tales about man-bats and plant women.

 

He’d snuck out several times with his camera, snapping pictures of some of the stranger characters Gotham had to offer. He hadn’t been noticed by anyone, whether one of the vigilantes or villains on the streets, and he wanted it to stay that way. All he needed was to be caught by someone and marked as a troublemaker, and he’d lose any hope of visiting his dad.

 

Unfortunately, his luck didn’t hold.

 

One fateful night, he snuck out and headed for the warehouse district, where most of the weird things happened. The streets were quieter than usual, which should have been Barry’s first sign that something was wrong, but he’d heard that the Scarecrow was around, and he’d been too excited to catch a glimpse of the villain.

 

According to reports, Scarecrow used science to create a gas that made someone experience their worst fears. What if whoever killed his mom used a similar gas to make him see the man in the lightning? A spotlight from above caught his attention, and he jumped back into the doorway of one of the warehouses.

 

The Batman was out. That meant that the Scarecrow was definitely close by. He nearly giggled with glee, before it hit him that a dangerous supervillain who was known for driving people insane was somewhere nearby.

 

He considered running, when he heard talking in the catwalks above him. Creeping further inside, Barry clutched his camera close, one hand falling to the pepper spray in his pocket Joe had gifted him when he found out that Barry was being sent to Gotham.

 

“The Bat is close, Crane!” He could hear a deep voice growling. A broken chuckle echoed through the abandoned building.

 

“By the time Batman finds us, it’ll be too late,” a dry, broken voice croaked. Four shadows—three broad and tall, the other lanky and slightly hunched.

 

_Scarecrow._

 

Not daring to miss his chance, Barry moved to dart behind a nearby crate, only to cringe when his foot struck a loose piece of pipe. The metal clanked loudly in the near silence, and Barry knew he was screwed.

 

“What was that?” Scarecrow hissed. Barry saw the silhouette motion to the three henchmen, who split up—two taking each direction on the catwalk, the other climbing down to Barry’s level. He dropped low and raised his pepper spray, covering his mouth to quiet his frantic breathing. All he could think was that he was going to die. He was going to die, and no one would know what happened to him.

 

Footsteps were creeping closer. He tried to push himself further into the floor, but there was nowhere else to go. He squeezed his eyes shut, knowing he was about to get caught, and not wanting to see it.

 

A hand fell on his shoulder. He would’ve screamed, had it not been for the hand that took his own’s place over his mouth. When he opened his eyes, he didn’t see a burly, scary henchman. Instead, there was a kid, just a few years older than him, in a green domino mask.

 

 _Robin,_ his mind supplied. He was so star-struck, he wouldn’t have been able to talk, even if the hero hadn’t been covering his mouth. Robin smiled reassuringly at him, slowly moving his hand. All of Barry’s glee melted away, though, when a huge shadow fell over them.

 

Robin turned, but not fast enough. The henchman grabbed him from behind, throwing the hero into the crates they’d been crouched behind. Without thinking, Barry pulled out his pepper spray and aimed directly for the man’s eyes.

 

Not expecting to be attacked by the regular kid, the thug didn’t react in time to avoid the spray. He howled in pain, clawing at his eyes. Robin took the opportunity to kick the back of the henchman’s knees, bringing him down to the ground so he could make quick work of handcuffing him.

 

“Nice job, kid,” he grinned. “What’s your name?”

 

“B…Barry,” he managed to stutter, still in shock over what was happening. “Barry Allen.”

 

He hadn’t even noticed the sound of fighting above them until the other two henchmen fell down in front of them, tied together with cable. Then, a dark figure dropped, shrouded in a black cape. Barry’s eyes widened, and he swallowed hard.

 

_The Batman._

 

“Everything taken care of Robin?” The Dark Knight asked his sidekick, his eyes darting between him and Barry.

 

Robin nodded. “All of Scarecrow’s goons are taken care of down here, and Barry’s alone. Right, kid?”

 

Barry, whose mouth was too dry for speech to be possible, gaped silently at Batman. The vigilante seemed to take that as a yes. He took a step closer, and Barry fought the urge to jump back. Batman and Robin saved his life, after all.

 

The vigilante dropped down in front of him in an almost fatherly gesture. “What are you doing here, Barry?” he asked gently. “Where are your parents?”

 

“I…I…” Barry forced himself to swallow and take a deep breath. “I wanted study Scarecrow’s gas, to see if the man who killed my mom used it.”

 

Batman’s frown deepened, and his eyes darted quickly over to Robin and back. “That’s dangerous. You can’t go around people like Crane with only pepper spray and a camera. Your family’s probably worried.”

 

Barry’s heart sunk. “I don’t live with my family. Just Mrs. Hawkner, and she doesn’t even know I’m gone. She probably forgot she even has me, with all the other kids in the home.”

 

Batman sighed heavily. “Still…there’s someone out there who cares about you, Barry. You shouldn’t aimlessly throw yourself in harm’s way.”

 

He rose back to his feet and put a hand around Barry’s shoulder. “Robin, take the bike and patrol. I’m going to take Barry home.”

 

Robin nodded, a private smile on his face, like he knew something no one else did. But, whatever the joke was, Barry wasn’t read into it. Instead, Batman led him to the tank-like car parked on the next street and drove him all the way to Mrs. Hawkner’s. He fell asleep halfway there, his face pressed against the window, and, when he woke up, it was morning, and he was back in the bedroom he shared with six other kids. For a minute, he believed it was all a dream.

 

Later that day, though, his social worker and Mrs. Hawkner called him downstairs. They were sitting at the dining room table with a man in a business suit. He seemed familiar, but Barry just couldn’t place it.

 

Until the man met his eyes.

 

_The Batman._

 

“Barry,” Ms. Jefferson, his social worker, greeted. “This is Mr. Bruce Wayne. He’s come to discuss taking you into _his_ home…”


	2. She is The Flash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally updated? Wow. I'm as shocked as you are.

**14 years later...**   


 

Iris stood waiting on the top of STAR Labs. Harrison Wells has disappeared, the Reverse Flash defeated, but all she could think about was the ominous message she’d received—  _ “Our place. 10 minutes.” _

She knew Oliver was already on the roof, probably watching her with that brooding ‘so close, yet so far’ attitude he’d had since she kissed him while whammied by Bivolo. She’d had feelings for Oliver ever since they met, way before the Flash. She was writing a story on a robbery at Queen’s Consolidated, posing as a reporter for Picture News. Oliver saw right through her, though. He always did, and she saw right through him. It didn’t take him long to figure out she wasn’t who she said she was, and it didn’t take her long to realize that he was the Hood. 

Now, with them both living the superhero life, having admitted their feelings to each other, Iris had been stupid enough to think that they could be together. The League of Assassins did a number on Oliver, though. She could tell by the tension in the air. 

“Hello, Iris.”

She prepared herself mentally for this encounter. “Hi, Ollie.” She turned towards the shadows he stepped out of. He wasn’t in the League outfit or his Arrow outfit. Instead, he was just in a black shirt and black jeans. She couldn’t tell if that was a good sign or bad. 

His lips pulled into a tight smile. “I heard about Wells, that he got away. I’m sorry.”

Iris shrugged. “He’ll be back. We’ll get him then.”

Oliver nodded, but didn’t say anything else. She waited, and waited, giving him plenty of time to collect his thoughts. “Is that what you came here to talk about? Dr. Wells getting away?”

“No.” Of course it wasn’t. “I wanted to tell you that I’m leaving Starling City. I’m giving up the hood.” He stepped closer to Iris, her heart hammering in her chest as he gently brushed his hand against her cheek. “I can’t be the hero Starling needs. Not anymore. I need to get away...and I wanted to ask if you would go, too.”

Iris had never wished more that she was a different kind of girl--the kind that would run into Oliver’s arms and let him take her away from all the pain and sorrow that came with being the Flash. Eddie, a man who loved her more than she could ever love him, was in a coma downstairs from a gunshot wound intended to save her from Thawne. She and the entire team had been betrayed by a man they’d trusted for over a year. 

Yeah, she wanted to leave. But that wasn't who she was. She was Iris West--the Flash. When the world pushed her down, she got back up again. When someone needed her help, she was there. She couldn’t give that up.

Not even for Oliver.

She shook her head. “I’m sorry…”

But Oliver just leaned forward to rest their heads together. “I know. I knew what you’d say. But I had to ask. I needed you to know that, if there were one person in this entire world I’d want to run away with, it was you, Iris West.”

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, but Oliver shushed her. 

“It’s okay.” 

“I wish I could,” she whispered. “But this is my calling. Being the Flash, saving people...it’s who I am. The city needs me, and so does the team.”

Oliver nodded. “I know. And I love you for that.”

Her heart skipped. It was the first time either of them had said the words, and it was to say goodbye. He leaned forward like he was going to kiss her, but she quickly stepped away. Oliver was an intoxicating human being. One kiss could convince anyone to do things they’d regret later, like running away from the people who needed them. 

She swallowed hard. “I hope you find what you’re looking for, Ollie.”

He smiled sadly. “You, too.” With that, he stepped off the side of the building, swinging to the ground with one of his trick arrows. 

 

#  
  


**Three Months Later…**

 

Iris looked over herself in the mirror again. Her hair was pulled back in a bun that said ‘businesswoman’. She smoothed out her pencil skirt and blew out a calming breath. She could do this. She  _ had  _ to do this. 

A knock on her apartment door drew her attention away from the mirror. In a flash, she was at there, throwing it open with a tight grin. Cisco smiled back at her. He was dressed in a suit, his hair tied back in a ponytail and was, for once, wearing his glasses instead of contacts. 

His eyes widened when he gave her a once over. “Wow...Iris, you look…”

“Professional, I hope?”

He laughed breathily. “Like a boss. These rich douchebags are going to take one look at you and know you aren’t giving STAR Labs up without a fight.”

Coming from Cisco, that meant everything. He was all she had left of the original ‘Team Flash’, besides her dad. Caitlin left to work at Mercury Labs after Ronnie died in the Wells incident. Eddie was still in a coma from his gunshot wound. Wells or Thawne or whatever the hell his name is was still in the wind. After faking his death as Harrison Wells, STAR Labs was left without an heir and was being put up for auction. 

Figures he was still trying to mess with them, even after he was gone. 

Iris sighed. “Do you really think this is going to work? Even with the money we were able to scrape up from the accounts and patents, we only have $860,000.”

Cisco took Iris’ hand in his. “Listen--we’re the only ones who are going to want it, Iris. Remember, this is the building that we used to blow up the city. No one wants to be responsible for that. The only reason  _ we  _ want to be responsible is so we don’t have to run Team Flash from your dad’s living room.”

Iris laughed, and Cisco squeezed her hand. “It’s going to be fine. I’m not going to let anything happen to Iris West or the Flash.”

She knew that. Cisco was always there for her. She stepped out to join him in the hall. “Let’s get our lab back.”

 

#

 

The auction was being held at Central City Museum, where the wealthiest developers and families were gathered to barter for the most in-demand real estate in Central City. Iris felt like a fish out of water among the elite--not because they were ‘above her’ or anything ridiculous like that, but because it was like they spoke a completely different language. They talked about connections and business and things that Iris thought she understood but took on a completely different meaning in this environment. 

The foyer was decorated with large banners announcing the auction. There were people in fancy dress more than the business wear that Iris and Cisco had come in, and she felt out of place almost immediately. Once again, she kicked herself over how stupid the situation was, and how Thawne got another on them. 

Cisco wandered off to the refreshment table--probably to comfort eat his nerves away on quiche--while Iris downed her second glass of champagne. She set the empty glass on a passing waiter’s tray and looked around for any more alcohol. 

She jerked back when a bottle of water was almost pushed in her face. 

“Shit!” the person holding the water said. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I just thought you didn’t want to get drunk, so water was probably a good thing to bring you.”

Iris finally focused on the man, and her eyes widened. He was one of the most attractive men she’d ever seen--and the pressed tux hugging his body didn’t hurt. His hair was chestnut brown and thick, his eyes were hazel green, and there was an awkward, apologetic grimace on his face that made Iris smile.

“It’s okay,” she said. “You were trying to help. Sorry, I’m just...so freaked out about this whole auction.”

“First time at an event like this?”

“First time not being press at one,” she corrected. 

He raised an eyebrow. “You’re a reporter? What are you doing at something this boring? Shouldn’t you be covering ‘The Flash’ or something?”

“Not tonight. I’m here with my friend to try and get his job back.” She didn’t know why she was saying all this, but the man just seemed so nice and trustworthy. “He was one of the engineers at STAR Labs, and since Harrison Wells died, we’ve been raising money so we can buy the labs back and keep them going.”

The man’s eyes widened. “You’re here for STAR Labs? That’s so cool! I wanted to come see the Particle Accelerator get turned on, but I got caught up with my family and work.”

“Well,” Iris joked, “you’re probably grateful for that now. You may have gotten turned into some weird animal hybrid or something.”

He laughed, deep and genuinely. “Nah, there are enough freaks where I’m from. They don’t need me to join. I’m Barry, by the way. Barry...Thompson.” 

He stretched out a hand, which she accepted. “Iris West.” 

Barry’s eyes lit up, and he opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by, “And I’m Cisco, though it doesn’t seem like either of you noticed I came back.” 

Iris jumped. Sure enough, Cisco was standing beside them with a napkin full of quiche in one hand and a champagne in the other. 

Barry didn’t seem near as shocked. “I don’t know how. You’re both easily the most interesting and beautiful people in this room.”

Iris would’ve laughed at the blush growing on Cisco’s cheeks if there wasn’t an identical one growing on hers. She cleared her throat. “So, who are you here for, Mr. Thompson?” 

“My father’s company,” Barry answered. “He thinks coming to these things will keep me busy enough to stay out of trouble.”

“So he wants you to join your family business?” Cisco asked.

Barry chuckled quietly, like there was some inside joke to that neither she nor Cisco understood. “Not exactly, but kind of. Right now, he just has me running errands when he wants to stay home and brood.”

Iris laughed. “Do people actually  _ brood _ ?”

Barry nodded. “If you met my dad--like really met him--you wouldn’t even ask that question. He’s like the most closet goth person I’ve ever met in my life. So, why do you two want STAR Labs so bad?”

Iris didn’t know how to answer. She couldn’t exactly say that they needed a headquarters for their superhero side jobs. Luckily, Cisco stepped in.

“STAR Labs was, like, my dream job ever since I was a kid,” he explained, his face lighting up. “It’s always been the most advanced laboratory in the country, but to me, it was the only place that would give me a chance. There’s still so much we could achieve, so much work we have left to do. Even though the Particle Accelerator blew, there’s so much we can do with what we’ve discovered. We’re the only lab studying the dark matter that was released, and the side effects of it.” 

“You mean the metahumans?” Barry seemed excited by Cisco’s answer. Iris wanted to question him more. She felt a weird connection to Barry, like someone reconnecting with a best friend after years of being apart. Before she could, though, someone announced it was time to take their seats for the auction. 

Barry sighed. “I guess we have to put a pause on this conversation.” He took Iris’ hand and kissed it, before moving to Cisco, taking the champagne flute from his hand, and repeating the gesture. Sending them a wink, Barry walked away towards an older, black gentleman in a suit, who was waving him down to sit beside him. 

She and Cisco stood by the wall on the other side of the room. STAR Labs would be the last property for auction, so the pair sat nervously through the rest of the proceedings. At one point, Barry looked back at them and smiled. 

Both blushed and waved. 

Then, finally, the auction came to the last property. 

“Best known for the part it played in the dark matter storm in 2014, as well as the birthplace of metahumans, I bring you our final property up for sale, STAR LABS. Do I hear $600,000?”

The room went completely silent. No one raised a paddle. Hope filled Iris. No one wanted STAR Labs. It would be theirs again, easily. She threw her paddle up.

“860,000!” 

The auctioneer’s eyes widened, like he was genuinely shocked that anyone would pay for something that was shut down by FEMA. He shook it off quickly and cleared his throat. 

“860,000 going once…”

Iris clutched at Cisco’s hand.  _ No one else would be interested _ , she tried to convince herself.  _ It’s the lab that blew up Central City. Why would anyone want it? _

“Going twice…”

“1.2 million dollars!”

The room went silent. Iris and Cisco turned to see Barry Thompson, paddle in the air. When he saw them looking, he winked.

_ “ _ That’s 1.2 million from Wayne Enterprise. Going once…”

All of her hope plummeted. They couldn’t compete with that. She hadn’t even known  Barry worked for Wayne... 

_ Wayne _ Enterprise. 

Barry  _ Wayne.  _ The adopted son of  _ Bruce _ Wayne.

No. 

_ No. _

“Wayne Enterprise, for a total of 1.2 million dollars!”

The man beside Barry--Lucius Fox, Iris realized, the CEO of Wayne Enterprises--walked for the buyer’s room, where the deed would be signed over, and Iris cursed. “That son of a bitch…” she hissed. Cisco followed her gaze. His jaw dropped.

“Wayne! Dammit, that’s why he was talking to us!” he said. “I am offended. I am thoroughly offended.”

Iris rolled her eyes. “This isn’t about him flirting with us for information. What if he finds out about our…” she quickly glanced around to make sure no one was within hearing distance, “our little secret?”

Cisco’s eyes widened. “You don’t think that he knows, and that’s why…?”

“No.” She shook her head. “He’s just some spoiled rich kid who throws his money around. He probably won’t even be around most of the time, and, if he is, we’ll find a way to distract him.”

“What if he brings in other scientists and tries to reopen the lab?”

“Cisco, you’re spiraling.” 

The engineer took a deep breath. Iris could understand, though. They needed a way to find out Wayne’s intentions for the labs. About that time, Fox and one of the auctioneers walked out together with bright smiles on their faces, and Wayne strolled over to them. Wayne shook the man’s hand, and they all laughed at some joke he made. Then, he wandered off, his eyes scanning the crowd until they landed on Iris and Cisco. His smile fell a bit, and he changed his course to head their way. 

“Sorry about that,” he said, stopping in front of them. “I wanted to know the truth about the labs, though, without you trying to turn me off of buying them.”

Iris scowled at him. “It’s fine. Hopefully, Mr. Wayne, we won’t see much of each other, so it won’t be an issue.”

Wayne frowned. “Don’t you both work there?”

“ _ I  _ do,” Cisco corrected. “Iris has been coming in for check-ups with our doctor after the particle accelerator put her in a coma.” 

“Then, we’ll be seeing each other a lot.” Damn him for having such a cute smile when he said that. “I love science. It’s why I bought the lab. My dad wants me to get more involved with the company, so this is my contribution. I want to bring STAR Labs back to what it was before Harrison Wells blew up the town, like what Cisco was talking about.” 

To him, that probably sounded like a great idea. For Iris, though, all she could think about was protecting the Flash. How would they do that if they had Wayne wandering around all the time?

“Great,” she managed to say. 

“I’ll be in tomorrow bright and early at STAR to assess everything and speak to the remaining employees. Is that okay?”

It wasn’t really a question. Cisco snorted. “So, us and Dr. Caitlin Snow?”

Wayne nodded. “I also heard that Professor Martin Stein has been collaborating with you. I’m very eager to meet him and Dr. Snow, and get to know the two of you better.” 

Iris severely hoped not.


	3. Son of Batman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this isn't much of a chapter, but I really wanted to talk more about Barry and introduce Len.

Barry tapped his foot against the floor of the Lincoln Town car Lucius ordered for them to take through the streets of Central. It’d been so long since he’d been home. The streets had changed, but the people less so. 

 

Including Iris West. God, he couldn’t believe she was the Flash. No, that was a lie--he definitely could. She was strong and intelligent, with a good heart and unbreakable morals. If anyone could be a superhero, it was her. He could still remember her beating up Tony Woodward for him back in third grade. 

 

“How was it?” Lucius asked, breaking the silence. “Being back and seeing your friend again?”

 

“It was...surreal,” he answered honestly.

 

“I notice you didn’t tell her who you really were.”

 

Barry snorted. “Like she remembers Barry Allen. She’s probably had a million friends since then, more memorable ones than me.”

 

Lucius shrugged. “I don’t know. I remember meeting you when you were, what eleven? Twelve? You were sitting in your father’s office, waiting for him after school, and I saw you blowing through your science homework with such gusto. I knew then that you were a special kid. And that was before you started your crime fighting career.”

 

“You’re the only person who still thinks that was a good idea.” 

 

“Not true,” Lucius argued. “Ms. Kyle loved the way you made that vein on your father’s head pop when he found out.” 

 

They both erupted into laughs, remembering the way his father blew up when he realized his youngest son--at the time, at least--was fighting crime behind his back. Lucius was the only one who supported him.  _ “Everyone grieves in their own way,”  _ he’d said. 

 

Barry pulled at the collar of his shirt. “I hate wearing monkey suits. Now I see why Dad prefers to be Batman over Bruce Wayne. Business sucks.” 

 

Lucius reached in the bag at his feet and handed him a black hoodie. Barry accepted it with a smile and changed into the warm coziness of his favorite pullover. He felt warm and safe in it’s plush. 

 

“Have you talked to your brother?”

 

Barry nodded. “Yeah, Dick came by before I left to tell me to be careful. Y’know, like I’m not moving from Gotham, the city with murderous clowns, to Central, the city with a guy who makes windstorms.”

 

“Both are dangerous,” Lucius pointed out. 

 

“Yeah, but criminals in Central are just criminals, even with their powers. In Gotham, they’re just twisted.” 

 

Lucius didn’t disagree. “Do you want us to take you to your apartment?”

 

Barry shook his head. “Nah, just drop me off at Jitters. It’s been forever since I had one of their bear claws.”

 

Lucius nodded and relayed it to the driver. “Your belongings are in your apartment, but I have something else for you.” He pulled a duffel bag out from under the seat and handed it to him. “Alfred and I agreed that we both felt safer with you being so far away if you had this with you. He told your father he destroyed it, but…”

 

Barry unzipped the bag, and his heart fell to his stomach. Inside the bag was black body armor with a yellow bird surrounded by red lightning on the chest plate. He knew if he dug through the bag, he’d find a pair of gauntlets and a mask perfectly formed for his face. 

 

“Lucius…”

 

“You don’t have to use it,” Lucius said quickly. “We’d just...all feel more comfortable if you had it. You may have turn away from that life, but there are people out there who know your identity and might track you down to harm you. I’m not supposed to tell you this…”

 

Lucius’ lips pulled into a thin line. “...something happened with those assassins.”

 

Barry frowned. “You mean the League?”

 

“I overheard your dad telling Alfred. Someone took over, someone that isn’t...whatever the hell his name was. Talia’s father.”

 

“Ra’s.”

 

“Yeah. Anyway, those loyal to the al Ghul’s are still out there, and they know your identity. Talia knows. Don’t think she won’t use it if she can.” 

 

Barry knew he was right. Lucius wasn’t always the most informed about the life of the Bat-Family, but he was one of the smartest men Barry knew. He knew when there was danger on the horizon. 

 

Sighing, he accepted the bag. Lucius smiled. “Thank you. Now, I think we’re at CC Jitters. Do you know how to get to your apartment from here?” 

 

Barry rolled his eyes. “Yes, I’ll be fine.” He opened the car door but paused before climbing out. “Lucius? Will you tell my dad...will you tell him I said bye? We didn’t really talk before…”

 

Lucius nodded. “I’ll let him know.”

 

Barry climbed out of the car and shut the door behind him. All at once, he felt truly alone in a city that wasn’t his anymore. Blowing out a breath, he started walking towards Jitters, which was a few storefronts down from where he was dropped off. The bag burned on his shoulder, but he ignored its pull. He was done with that life. He’d stopped six months ago and wasn’t going back. 

 

Suddenly, a voice caught his attention. It was coming from the alley between Jitters and one of the nearby storefronts. It sounded aggressive and threatening, and Barry could swear he heard the safety of a gun flicking off. He took a deep breath. It wasn’t his problem. He just needed to call the police...who wouldn’t get there in time. His hand tightened around the strap of the bag. 

 

Was it falling off the wagon if someone’s life was at stake? Like, he didn’t  _ want  _ to, but someone needed his help, right? Right?

 

It didn’t matter. Barry was already ducking into the mouth of the alley, grabbing his mask and gauntlets out of the bag and pulling up his hood.  _ It’s only going back if you put on the costume,  _ he tried to convince himself as he approached, slowly and silently, to where he’d heard the voices. At the very back of the alley, not even visible from the road, were four men. Two were holding another man back against the wall, while the fourth man pushed a gun in his face. The captive man seemed completely unimpressed by the whole ordeal. 

 

“You were told not to come back, Cold,” the man hissed. “The Santini’s are the real family in Central, not you and your freaks.”

 

“You don’t scare me, Raoul,” the captive man drawled, rolling his eyes. “Your grandfather wasn’t scary and, compared to him, your attempts to frighten me are...adorable.” 

 

“Damn it, Snart!” the man--Raoul--growled, shoving the gun even further into his face, so it was pressed against his cheek. “Don’t you get it? You’re done! You ain’t leaving this alley alive!”

 

Barry slid his bag behind a can and slid on his gauntlets and mask. Before he moved in, he grabbed a couple of surprises Lucius had packed for him in one of the pockets with a grin. 

Raoul seemed to be done talking. He stepped back and pointed his gun between Snart’s eyes. “Any last words? I’ll make sure to pass them on to your sister.”

 

For the first time since the beginning of the encounter, Snart’s composure broke, turning into fiery anger. Barry knew he needed to act. 

 

He slid one of Lucius’ surprises over towards the group of men, who were too distracted to notice until it started to beep. Raoul frowned. “What the hell--?”

 

But the smoke grenade went off before he could finish. Barry took a deep breath and hoped he wasn’t rusty. 

 

He took down the goon to Snart’s left first. He was facing away from Barry, gun pointed everywhere but where the real danger was. He grabbed the man from behind and kicked his knees out from under him. Once on the ground, Barry backhanded the man with his gauntlet, knocking him unconscious. 

 

Then, he moved onto the second goon. This one saw him coming but was shaking so hard, he couldn’t even fire a shot before Barry took his gun from his hand and knocked him out with it. 

 

“Where are you?!” he heard Raoul demand. Barry noticed that Raoul still had his gun on Snart, only now, he was pointing it under his chin, using the man as a human shield. “Is this one of your metas, Snart?”

 

“If it were my metas, your men would be dead,” Snart replied, his eyes narrowed. “This is something else.” 

 

Barry backed up to the wall, just far enough for a running start. He activated the cables in one of his gauntlets, which uncoiled into his hand, and ran for the pair. Raoul and Snart both saw him when he was about a yard away. Raoul raised his weapon to fire at Barry, but the young vigilante took to the ground before he could hit him, taking a long slide between the pair’s legs. He wrapped the cable around Raoul’s ankle as he moved, and spun around to his knees when he came to a stop. 

 

Before either man knew what had happened, Barry yanked the cable, pulling Raoul to the ground face first. He continued pulling the man closer, trying not to laugh at his terrified screams--it was always amusing when people found him scary because if they actually saw under his mask, no one would admit they’d peed themselves during the fight with him. 

 

Once he was in front of him, Barry swung his foot so that his heel went straight into the man’s face, breaking his nose and knocking him out. 

 

When he raised his head, Snart was staring at him in shock and amazement. Barry jumped to his feet. “That,” Snart said, looking over the unconscious men, “was quite a show.” 

 

Barry backed away from the man. Something about him made Barry feel off kilter. Maybe it was the smirk on his lips, or that he seemed completely unaffected by the fact that Barry had just single-handedly taken down three armed mobsters and not killed a single one. 

 

“You didn’t see me,” Barry warned, moving towards where his bag was hidden. “I wasn’t here, and I didn’t save anyone.”

 

The smirk fell from Len’s lips, but Barry was already grabbing his bag and running out of the alley. He didn’t stop until he made it to his apartment. 

 

\----------

 

On the rooftops above Central, a dark figure lingered. He watched, silently, as the young Wayne ran through the streets towards his loft apartment. He seemed distressed--and the man understood why. 

 

He’d been told what happened to Barry Wayne in Gotham six months ago, how he’d almost become the second of Batman’s prodigy to die at the hands of one of his villains. Barry was distressed and distracted. If he wanted, he could swipe him off the street and no one would know. But that’s not what he wanted. Barry couldn’t know about him, not yet. 

 

He turned his attention to the man in the alley--the one Barry saved. He was still frozen in place, staring at the spot Barry had just been standing in. It was obvious that his interest had been piqued, and he wouldn’t be able to leave his mysterious savior alone. He narrowed his eyes--that could be a problem. It was best to keep an eye out. 

 

He stepped back into the shadows, prepared for his mission. Batman couldn’t know what he was up to. Not until it was too late. 


	4. Given Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this takes place during S2 of the Flash. BTW, if you've seen Birds of Prey, keep an eye out for a familiar name drop ;)

The next few weeks came with a variety of changes. Cisco gave Barry a tour of the labs, but he could tell that Team Flash was trying to keep their secret lives hidden from him. They didn’t realize he was putting tiny cameras all around the building, to review later from his laptop.

 

Hard as they tried, they couldn’t keep Barry from watching and learning. The first change was when Dr. Snow came back to the labs. Barry had expected as much, sending a message to her through Tina McGhee that, were she to return, he would double her pay. Superheroes need doctors, after all, and Dr. Snow was almost to the level of Leslie Thompson.

 

The next change was on a grander scale--the multiverse was unleashed. Metas from another Earth were hopping into Central under the orders of a speedster named Zoom, who was out to kill Iris.

 

Coincidentally, the Flash of Earth-2 showed up, Jay Garrick, who claimed Zoom stole his powers right before he was dragged onto their Earth. Barry made a note to keep an eye on him. He knew shady figures, and this guy checked at least half the boxes.

 

A knock on his apartment door drew his attention. He was in an expensive apartment building, one with good security and a doorman, so there were few people who could get in. He shut his laptop and stood up.

 

“Who is it?”

 

_“Get a lot of visitors, do you?”_

 

Barry rolled his eyes and headed over to open the door. Dick Grayson was standing on the other side of the door with a pack of bottled beers in one hand. Barry laughed, motioning for his brother to come in.

 

As the two settled on the couch, Barry thought back to the first time he’d met Dick--saving him from Scarecrow’s goons all those years ago. Barry had latched onto him like a baby duck, following him everywhere through his childhood. Dick was his role model and the best big brother he could ask for.

 

Dick handed him a beer. “So, Central City. What’s that like?”

 

Barry popped the cap off and took a drink. “It’s so... _bright._ Was it always this bright? Or is Gotham, like, super dark?”

 

Dick laughed. “Probably a bit of both. Did the Wests recognize you? I know you were excited to see Iris again.”

 

Barry sighed. It’d been so long since Iris saw him, and they were so young then, the only person she saw him as was rich socialite Barry Wayne. Barry Allen hadn’t even crossed her mind.

 

Joe, on the other hand...well, Barry had been avoiding him. Deep down, Barry knew that Joe would know him. Joe was a detective, and he used to watch Barry after school. He wasn’t ready to be Barry Allen again, though. That wasn’t who he was anymore.

 

“No, they haven’t. I’m actually dreading the moment they realize who I am.”

 

“You’ve been monitoring their activity for Bruce, though, right?”

 

Barry nodded. “Yep.” He motioned to the laptop. “What I really need is for them to trust me. Then, I wouldn’t have to spy on them with cameras.”

 

Dick looked like he was biting back a laugh. Barry snorted. He knew what it sounded like, but it wasn’t his fault he was raised by the most suspicious man in the world. If he could just get in their inner circle…

 

“What’s that?”

 

Dick’s question pulled Barry out of his thoughts. He was pointing at the duffel under Barry’s desk--the one Lucius gave him.

 

Barry’s eyes widened. “Uhhh...just gym clothes.”

 

He flinched. He was a terrible liar, and Dick knew it.

 

“So, if I looked in that, I wouldn’t find your costume?” He paused for a second, staring at Barry. Barry stared back. Then, they both broke out into a run towards it.

 

And damn it, he hated that Dick was an acrobat who could vault across the room in the time it took Barry to get off the couch. When he unzipped the duffel, Dick gave Barry a disappointed look.

 

“Barry.”

 

“I haven’t started again!” Barry quickly said. “Lucius and Alfred felt better knowing I had them. That’s it.”

 

“So, you’re saying, honestly, that you haven’t used anything in this bag since you hung up your suit?”

 

Barry opened his mouth to confirm it, but stopped when he remembered Snart. The man in the alley-- _Captain Cold,_ he discovered later. He shook his head.

 

Dick sighed. “Barry, it’s not that I don’t want you to help people. I know that’s where your heart is. But we all talked about this.”

 

Barry scoffed and turned away from his brother, taking a long chug from his beer. “Yeah, ‘talked’. More like I vied for Dad’s attention after months of silent treatment until I finally gave him what he wanted.”

 

“That’s not it,” Dick argued. “You know that I would agree with you if I thought Bruce was in the wrong. In this case...Barry, you could’ve died, do you realize that? You were bleeding out in Bruce’s arms. All I could think of was…”

 

He cut himself off, but Barry knew. It’s why he’d quit. That one catastrophe that no one talked about but stayed at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Especially when it came to Barry’s vigilantism.

 

“Well, that won’t happen now, will it?” he said, finishing off his drink and grabbing another. “There’s no Joker in Central City. No vendettas. And, I didn’t put on the suit--just the mask and gauntlets. There was a guy being mugged that needed my help.”

 

He flopped down on the couch, ignoring the way his brother’s expression turned from upset to devilish. “A guy? Like, ‘rescuing Harvey Bullock’ or like when you saved Jesse Reese?”

 

Barry felt his cheeks darken. Leave it to Dick to bring up _that_ crush. “I don’t have to answer that.”

 

Dick grin grew. “Oh my god, you haven’t even been here a month! How are you already smitten with someone?”

 

Barry furrowed his brow. “Do people still say ‘smitten’?”

 

“They do when they have that look,” Dick replied, motioning to Barry’s face.

 

Barry lowered his eyes and sighed. “Look, it’s not happening with this guy.”

 

“You didn’t give him your number?” Dick asked like it was standard procedure to just give out your number to attractive people you rescued while wearing a mask.

 

“Y’know, between the mobsters and the fact I was doing something I shouldn’t, it never came up.”

 

Dick shook his head. “Now I know you’ve got a crush. You’re only smooth if you don’t actually like the person. If you do, you show your belly or run. Or make an idiot out of yourself.”

 

Barry gaped at his brother, offended. “I do not!”

 

“Remember what happened with Detective Reese asked you out?”

 

He’d been so nervous, he’d just stared at the detective, slack-jawed and stupid. Dick had to accept the date for him.

 

“Has...has he asked about me?” he asked quietly. Dick’s expression softened.

 

“Alfred told me that a few days after you left, he came by to see you. He says that Jesse seemed sad when he heard you’d moved.”

 

It was stupid to feel the way he did. They’d broken up six months ago, and Jesse was the one who ended it. Why did it matter that Jesse missed him, or that he’d been coming by the manor?

 

Dick cleared his throat. “Anyway, back to your Flash problem. You need to get them to trust you...have you tried extending the olive branch?”

 

Barry frowned. “Like what? I’ve already tried dropping in to talk to them.”

 

“Barry,” Dick said, “I hate to tell you, but you come off a bit strong sometimes. Have you tried just asking them to go out for a coffee with you? You literally are worth more money than you could possibly spend. Would it be so hard to take them all out and talk?”

 

Barry...hadn’t thought of that. In his defense, he wasn’t exposed to the more social side of Bruce Wayne growing up, so his social skill weren’t always great.

 

“Okay...I could do that. Hey, how long are you in town for? We could do something.”

 

Dick sighed. “I’m actually heading to Gotham for a couple of days. I leave in the morning.”

 

“Damn.”

 

“Yeah, sorry.” He sat beside Barry once again. “We could watch a movie on Netflix tonight, though. There’s a movie called Open House about a serial killer that sounds interesting.”

 

Barry laughed. In their lives of psycho clowns and umbrella guns, one would think that they would want to get away from violence. Somehow, though, it calmed them. The pair stayed on the couch most of the night, watching movies and completely avoiding any talk of superheroes or vigilantism.

 

\----------

 

Barry sent out a group text the next morning-- _Jitters @ noon? I’m buying._

 

Caitlin texted back immediately, confirming. It took Cisco and Iris a little longer, which Barry could only assume meant the two had discussed it with one another before texting him back. Of the team, the pair of them trusted Barry the least. He needed to convince them that he wasn’t a bad guy, or this job would be really hard.

 

He arrived half an hour early, securing a good table and sliding the people behind the counter a hundred dollar bill for any drinks from his party, with orders to split the leftover amongst the three working employees. Then, he waited.

 

Not surprisingly, Iris was the first to show. She had the same hard look on her face that she always wore around Barry, and she took a seat across from him.

 

“Alright, I’m here. What do you want?”

 

Barry raised an eyebrow. “I kind of wanted to have a discussion with _everyone_.”

 

Iris continued scowling at him, and Barry sighed. “Look, I know you don’t like me very much, but I’m really trying to help. I get you’re protective over your friends, and I commend you for it, but you don’t have to protect them from me. I promise you that my intentions are not malicious.”

 

She looked like she was going to say something snarky or sharp--something to let him know that he wasn’t part of the team, and he’d stolen something precious from them. She was interrupted by the ringing of the bell above the door, and Cisco and Caitlin walking inside.

 

Caitlin took the seat beside Barry, while Cisco took the seat beside Iris.

 

Barry cleared his throat. “Look, I’m sorry if my presence in STAR Labs is...discomforting. I know that the three of you are a close-knit team, and you probably don’t like outsiders coming in. But I care about science and helping people. I don’t intend to try and step in and take over. I just want to help out and make your lives easier. I want to fund you and your labs for whatever you need.”

 

Cisco’s suspicious expression faded slightly. Caitlin seemed to believe him if the soft smile she gave meant anything. Iris, on the other hand, didn’t seem to be affected by his words at all. She was going to be the biggest struggle, he could tell. After being betrayed by her mentor, Harrison Wells, Barry could understand that.

 

Before he could wave down a barista to order, another voice cut over their conversation.

 

“Hello, Cisco.”

 

Cisco jerked in surprise, his eyes widening and his mouth hanging open. “Lisa?”

 

Barry and Caitlin turned to see Lisa Snart--Golden Glider--standing behind them. She wasn’t holding a coffee, which told Barry that she was there for them. He sat back, observing how it was all about to play out.

 

The criminal grabbed a chair and dragged it over to their table and, for a second, Barry saw something underneath her nonchalance--panic. There was something wrong.

 

“I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t think I needed your help. Please, the Flash is Lenny’s only hope.”

 

The three at the table with him tensed. Barry realized that he needed to react to the news that Cisco worked with the Flash.

 

He widened his eyes and dropped his jaw. “The _Flash?_ Like, that girl in the gold and red suit that saves people?”

 

Lisa seemed to realize she made a mistake. She looked to Cisco, who sighed. “Barry’s...new. He’s from Gotham. Barry, this is Captain Cold’s sister, Lisa.”

 

Barry acted shocked. “So you _do_ know the Flash?”

 

Cisco flinched. “Yes...but I’m not telling you who she is!”

 

Lisa and Barry both shared a look, before turning their attention to Iris. She sighed. “Fine. What’s wrong, Lisa?”

 

“It’s Lenny,” she said. “He’s missing.” 

 

Barry’s stomach fell.


	5. Son of Snart

“So, the Flash is allies with Captain Cold.” 

 

Barry was leaned against the computer console of the Cortex, arms crossed over his chest as he looked over the Flash suit in the display. It was the first time he’d seen the suit in person, and he had to say--Cisco did good work. 

 

Iris sighed. “Look, just because you know, doesn’t mean that you’re part of the team.”

 

Barry raised an eyebrow. “Really? Because I bet that being a journalist-slash-vigilante doesn’t pay too well and that everything in here could use an upgrade. I might be able to move some numbers around and get STAR Labs another satellite. Maybe one that can detect metas, if Cisco can find out how to do that.” 

 

The techie’s face lit up at the prospect, and Barry knew he’d won over at least one of the doubting members of the team. Now, all he had to do was convince Iris he was trustworthy. He didn’t really care what Jay Garrick thought. He seemed to ignore Barry, and Barry pretended to do the same. 

 

Lisa, who stood at Cisco’s side, cleared her throat. “Are you going to help find my brother or not?”

 

Cisco quickly did his thing tracking the cold gun, and Iris zipped away, leaving Barry with the rest of the team. 

 

“So…” Cisco said, watching Barry with narrowed eyes, “you’re taking this really well. I mean, metas and superheroes and Iris being the Flash.”

 

Barry shrugged. “I’m from Gotham. We take things in stride. We have a reanimated corpse named after a nursery rhyme, a woman that controls plants, a pair of crazy clowns, and a grown man dressed like a bat who fights them all.” 

 

“The Batman’s real?” Cisco asked excitedly. 

 

Barry rolled his eyes, deciding not to answer. Iris returned a few minutes later, shivering and damp. 

 

“Found your brother. He’s fine--he’s pulling a job with your dad.”

 

Lisa’s eyes widened, and Barry knew why. After saving Leonard Snart, he’d done some research. Lewis Snart, their old man, was a dirty cop who used to beat the shit out of his kids relentlessly. There was no way Snart would help him unless something else was up. 

 

“Check Lisa for some kind of surprise.” Barry didn’t even know he’d spoken until he felt everyone’s eyes on him. 

 

Caitlin frowned. “Why?”

 

“Because,” Lisa spoke up, “Lenny would  _ never  _ side with our father. He hates him more than anything in the world.”

 

“But people do crazy things for their family,” Barry added solemnly. Lisa looked to him, and a strange expression crossed her face. Then, the moment was broken as Cisco rushed to Lisa’s side with some kind of scanner. His frown deepened with each sweep of the wand. 

 

When he pulled it away, he shook his head. “There’s something wrong. Some kind of chip or something. It’ll take a bit for me to figure out what kind, but I think it’s safe to say that Lewis probably put it there.” 

 

Barry crossed his arms. To use someone’s family against them in such a horrible way was sickening. “Where did you find him?” He turned to Iris. “Like, when you found him, what was he after?”

 

Iris pursed her lips in thought. “He was stealing...blueprints to a building, I think.”

 

“Can you remember which one?”

 

Iris shook her head. 

 

“Lisa,” Barry asked, “is there anything your father would be after that he’d need your brother for? What was he arrested for?”

 

Lisa’s brow furrowed as she thought hard about her father’s history. “He was trying to steal something--a diamond, I think. The Marsha Diamond. Lenny set him up to get arrested.”

 

“Let me guess--that was in Gotham.” 

 

Shocked, Lisa nodded. Barry sighed. “Great. It’s been passed from thief to thief for years. Wayne Enterprises recently acquired a diamond belonging to a woman who called herself ‘Queen of Diamonds’. Batman took her down, and our company took possession of it until the rightful owners could be found. We tracked down the family it belongs to, who live in Keystone, but our building in Central has better security.” 

 

Realization struck Iris’ expression. “He needs Cold to break in and steal it. Then…”

 

“He’s going to get his revenge,” Cisco finished for her. 

Anger struck Barry’s core. He’d only met Leonard Snart one time, but he’d met a thousand Lewis Snarts in his life. There was no shortage in Gotham of shit, abusive men who thought that they were above others, including their own family. Ones who used terror, blackmail, and threats to get what they wanted. He clenched his fists. 

 

While the others were distracted with Lisa and finding out more about the diamond, Barry snuck out of the cortex, pulling out his phone and dialing an often used number. 

 

_ “Barry? I thought you were in Central.” _

 

“I am,” he replied, “but I need Oracle to help me find someone in trouble.”

 

He could hear Barbara Gordon drag out her laptop.  _ “What am I looking for?” _

 

\----------

 

Babs tracked Snart through a series of surveillance cameras and uncovered identities to a warehouse that was owned by a ‘Shirley Broome’. A little more research revealed it was the maiden name of Leonard Snart’s birth mother, who died when he was four. 

 

The cameras had been deactivated, but Oracle had her ways of turning it on to make sure Snart was alone. Barry pulled on his best Narrows wear--a faded, button-up denim shirt and ripped, black jeans. He tousled his hair, rolled his sleeves up past his elbows, and applied fake tattoos to his forearms. Then, he went down to the underground garage and hopped on his motorcycle. 

 

When he arrived at the warehouse, he hid his bike and strolled inside, not bothering to check for security systems. He wasn’t trying to sneak up on Snart, after all. He found him sitting in a small office, back to the door, but cold gun raised. 

 

An obvious warning not to come closer.  Barry paused and held his hands up. “I’m just here to talk.”

 

Snart spun his chair around and raised an eyebrow. Barry shivered as his eyes traced up and down him. “You don’t look like Dad’s usual help. He’s not one to appreciate the…lovelier things in life.” 

 

Really? He was flirting  _ again?  _ Barry rolled his eyes. “I’m not with your dad. I’m here on behalf of  _ another friend. _ The pretty one in red.”

 

It took Snart a second, but then, it clicked. He lowered his gun. “Tell West I don’t need her help.”

 

“That’s not what Lisa says,” Barry replied, walking over to sit on the edge of the desk behind Snart. The rogue turned his chair again so he was facing Barry. 

 

“Lisa doesn’t know what’s going on.”

 

“She knows that your dad did something to her after knocking her out and kidnapping you, and that’s the reason you’re helping him.”

 

Snart’s eyes widened for a minute, and Barry smirked. “Come on. I understand not letting the Flash help, but let me help.”

 

Snart frowned. He stared at Barry questioning, a thousand questions passing behind his eyes. Finally, the most obvious and most difficult one was asked. ‘Why?”

 

Barry considered, just for a minute, lying. Telling him that it was a favor, or that he knew more about the security system, whatever. Instead, he took a deep breath. “My brother was murdered when I was seventeen years old.”

 

Snart’s skepticism faded. Barry lowered his eyes. “It was my fault. I blamed my dad for years, but I was just guilty as he was. You remind me of him a bit, from what I’ve read. I couldn’t save him, but I can save you and Lisa.” 

 

Snart looked into his eyes for just a second, searching for some sign that he was lying. He wouldn’t find one, though. Barry came to terms with his guilt a long time ago. Snart nodded. “And what do you suggest, Mr…?”

 

Barry opened his mouth to answer when another voice cut through the warehouse. “Time to get locked and loaded. Even without a…”

 

An older, chubby, balding man stepped into the office. Barry resisted the urge to sneer as Lewis Snart looked between his son and Barry. He motioned towards Barry. “Who the hell is this?”

 

That was his cue. Barry hopped off the desk. Usually, he used Matches Malone, same as his dad, but then he remembered he wasn’t in Gotham anymore. That name held no water. There was one name that might, though. 

 

“I’m Barry Allen,” he said. “Lenny here says that you need help breaking into Wayne Enterprises. W.E is my specialty.”

 

Both Snart and his father stared at him, both recognizing his last name almost instantly. “Allen?” Lewis said. “Like, Doc Allen? The one that murdered his wife and is serving life in Iron Heights?”

 

Barry shrugged, doing his best. “I’m his son. We’re estranged, but trust me, I’ve learned what I’ve had to in order to survive. I’m the best.” 

 

Lewis snorted. “Why ain’t I ever heard of you then?”

 

“Because I’d be a piss poor thief if you had,” Barry pointed out. “Unlike some people, I don’t like the cops knocking on my door every time I do a job. I’ve never been suspected, and no one’s ever seen or heard of me.”

 

“Convenient.” 

 

“Why don’t I show you?” Barry suggested, sliding off the desk. “I was trained by the best thief in Gotham. I can steal anything.” 

 

Lewis snorted in disbelief. “Fine. Prove it.”

 

Both Snarts looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to make some kind of move. Barry reached into his back pocket and pulled out a wallet. A thick, worn wallet that he’d picked during a ‘bump and grab’ on the way to the warehouse.

 

Lewis’ eyes widened. He patted his coat and pockets, his jaw dropping when he realized… “When the hell did you have time to do that?”

 

Barry shrugged and threw it back to him. “Told ya. I learned from the best. Of course, that’s child’s play. If I were you, I’d be more worried about the 3.6 million dollars stashed away in your Caymans account, number 7869726.” 

 

He pulled out his burner phone and showed the Snarts what he was talking about. Oracle was the best, after all. “Convinced?” 

 

He looked over to the younger Snart, who was watching him almost hungrily. Leave it to Leonard Snart to be turned on by the ability to do smart crimes. Lewis Snart, on the other hand, was watching him like he was a threat. 

 

Good. He put his phone away. “I grew up in Gotham. We don’t do things halfway. If I don’t make it out of this, all of that money gets donated to the Gotham Children’s Hospital.” 

 

He almost missed Snart’s snort at the gobsmacked expression on his father’s face. 

 

Lewis’ nostrils flared, but he still gave Barry a curt nod. “Fine. You’re in. You double-cross me, though, and I’ll put a bullet in that little spot between your eyes.”

 

He thought he was so intimidating, but Barry had faced off against the worst of the worst--Bane, the Joker, Penguin, Ra’s al Ghul--and only one time was he actually killed. Lewis Snart was nothing. 

 

The older Snart pushed past him, leaving Leonard smirking at Barry. “Quite the show, Mr.  _ Allen _ ,” Snart whispered stepping up beside him. His voice dropped to a whisper. “I almost believed it myself. But goody-goody Iris West wouldn’t partner with a thief, so who are you really?”

 

Barry bit his lip and leaned into Snart’s space, just the way Selina taught him. Snart’s breath caught in his throat. “Can you keep a secret?” 

 

He got so close that the whisper brushed against Snart’s lips. Snart licked his lips and nodded.

 

A smirk grew on Barry’s lips as he nabbed the keys to the Snarts’ van out of his pocket. “So can I.”

 

With that, he strolled away, starting to like the burning way the younger Snart watched him leave. 

  
  



	6. Thunder and Cold

It took Iris longer than she cared to admit to notice Barry disappeared. While under normal circumstances, she would be grateful to get the socialite out of her hair, she couldn’t help but worry where he was or what he was sticking his nose into.

 

“Has anyone seen Barry?”

 

Cisco, Jay, and Caitlin all frowned and glanced around. So they hadn’t realized he was gone either. Great.

 

“No,” Cisco replied, checking his desk, “but one of our comms is missing.”

 

She rolled her eyes and hurried over to the mic. “Turn it on.” 

 

Cisco obeyed and the next thing they knew, they were hearing Leonard and Lewis Snart’s muffled voices. 

 

“Barry, what the hell are you doing?” she asked into the mic. It took a minute for Barry to reply, and the voices grew more distant for a bit.

 

“I’m helping.” 

 

“We don’t need your help. You’re going to get yourself killed. You don’t have any powers or weapons to defend yourself.” 

 

“That’s why I grabbed the comm,” he explained. “You guys let me know the second you remove the chip from Lisa, and I’ll let Snart know that she’s safe and he doesn’t have to do this anymore.”

 

“No, you need to come back. I’m the one with superpowers. I should be going in there.”

 

“You’re also Iris West, daughter of Detective Joe West and prominent writer at Picture News. Lewis Snart would know you in seconds.”

 

Iris scoffed. “You’re the son of a multi-billionaire. Won’t he recognize  _ you? _ ”

 

“You didn’t.” 

 

That was a fair point, and Iris hated him for it. “If you die, so help me…”

 

“You’ll kill me?” His voice was way too light and carefree for any normal person in his situation. What people said about Gotham was true—everyone there was insane. 

 

“Just get back here in one piece, Wayne,” she growled. The comms cut out, but not before she heard a soft chuckle. That man irked her, almost as much as he amazed her. It took a special kind of person to rush in, unarmed with no superpowers, to help save a total stranger. Maybe there was more to Barry than she originally thought.

 

“Cisco, track the lost comm,” she said. “The second we hear from Barry, I need to know where I’m heading.”

 

“Yes, ma’am.” He hurried over the computers and started the trace. Iris fell back in one of the chairs and hung her head with a sigh. Since Wells’ betrayal, she had tried to keep the team together, but it seemed like the tighter she gripped it, the more fell through her fingers. She felt alone and uncertain of every move she made. 

 

A hand fell on her knee. When she looked up, Cisco was beside her, giving her a reassuring smile. “It’s gonna be okay, West,” he said. “Your team has your back.”

 

It was a greater comfort to hear than Cisco would ever know. 

 

\----------

 

Snart and Barry rode in the back of a work van on the way to Wayne Enterprises. Snart was cleaning his gun, which Barry realized was a nervous tick. It helped him focus and concentrate on something other than his nerves. 

 

Barry didn’t even realize he was spinning one of the ring daggers he’d brought around his finger until Snart looked up and smirked. “You seem awful comfortable with that.”

 

He swung it around one more time to get a grip on the handle. “I’ve trained with all kinds of things.”

 

Snart raised an eyebrow. “So, more than just a thief.”

 

He couldn’t help himself. It was too much fun bantering with Len. “So much more.” 

 

“Weapons specialist, thief, seducer…” Barry snorted at that but didn’t argue. “You’re quite a talented man,  _ Mr. Allen.  _ Makes me wonder where you learned it all.”

 

Barry shrugged. “I told you, I was trained by the best thief in Gotham. Selina Kyle taught me everything she knows.“

 

Snart didn’t seem the least bit surprised. If anything, Barry felt he was confirming something for him. He nodded. “Trained by Catwoman herself. And yet,” he dropped his voice so Lewis couldn’t hear, “you’ve teamed up with the Flash. I’ll bet there’s an interesting story there.” 

 

He had no idea. Barry chuckled. “Absolutely.”

 

“I don’t suppose you’re in a sharing mood?”

 

Barry shook his head. “Not even a bit.”

 

If anything, Barry’s elusiveness seemed to interest Snart more than discourage him. Before he could ask any more questions, though, the van stopped, and Snart’s playfulness froze over. He could see his hatred behind his eyes--a feeling Barry knew all too well. He knew what Snart was planning the second he found out that Lisa was safe. 

 

To be perfectly honest, Barry wasn’t sure if he’d try to stop him.  

 

Lewis threw them workmen outfits to pull on over their clothes, and they climbed out to go through the service entrance. Once in the lobby, Barry paused. 

 

Arnold Wesker was at the front desk. Great. 

 

After Wesker’s stint in Arkham and rehabilitation, Wayne Enterprises gave him a job, eventually allowing him to work his way up to night desk, apparently. He knew Barry, though, since he was the head of human resources back in Gotham. 

 

He cursed. “Hold on,” he said, holding a hand out to the Snarts. “Let me handle this.” 

 

Both frowned, but Barry hurried over to Weskler, Barry Wayne face on. The second Weskler saw him, he brightened. 

 

“Good evening, Mr…”

 

Barry shushed him. “Hi, Arnold,” he whispered, trying to avoid the Snarts hearing him. “How’s the job going?” 

 

“Really good, Mr. Wayne,” he whispered back. “Central City has been a great place for me. I haven’t even looked at a puppet since I moved here.”

 

“That’s...great. Anyway, I need you to do me a  _ huge  _ favor.”

 

A wide smile stretched across Wesker’s face. “Of course! Anything.” 

 

“I’m...uh, doing an ‘Undercover Boss’ thing.” He motioned behind him at the Snarts, who were still frowning in his direction. “I’m supposed to be shadowing them, making sure they’re doing their jobs and everything. But, um...I was supposed to bring the security badges, and I lost them.”

 

He gave Weskler an awkward smile. Weskler smiled back. “I’ll ring you in, sir. Just head on up and good luck with everything!” 

 

“Thank you, Arnold. You’re a lifesaver.” 

 

“Anything you ever need, I’m here for you, Mr. Wayne.” 

 

Barry gave him one last smile before heading back over to the Snarts. “We’re good to go upstairs.”

 

Lewis scoffed. “Just like that? I still say we take him out.”

 

Barry rolled his eyes. “Why? So the police can hear the gunshots and get here faster? Or so the other guards can find his body and ruin the heist before it even starts? I didn’t realize this was amateur hour.” 

 

Lewis was fuming, but Snart pushed past him to head towards the elevator. “Good work, kid,” he said as he passed Barry. Lewis grunted but followed anyway. Weskler gave Barry a thumbs up as he followed them. Barry returned the gesture, wishing that the criminals of Central were as easy to deal with as the ones from Gotham. 

 

They took the elevator down to the lower levels, down to the vaults where Wayne Enterprises kept their high-security items. Of course, to thieves like Lewis Snart, the most valuable thing in the Vaults was the diamond. To any clever criminal, like his son, there were things that could make one king of Central City--Bane’s venom, Crane’s fear gas, Fries’ gun, Azrael’s armor and flaming sword, Clayface’s RenuYu, and so much more that had been moved there for safekeeping when Barry came to town.  

 

He could only hope that Lewis ignored them, because like hell was he letting him anywhere near one of those weapons. 

 

They stepped off the elevator and turned to head for the vaults. That’s when the three guards showed up. 

 

Lewis drew his gun. 

 

“No!” Barry grabbed the barrel and pushed it down. “Let me handle it!” 

 

He knew it was a risk, but it was either fight or watch as Lewis gunned the guards down. He still hadn’t gotten word from Iris and the others that the chip was disarmed.

Without another word, Barry ran at the guards. One didn’t even have a chance to defend himself before Barry slid past him on his knees, using the extending baton he’d hidden up his sleeve to trip him as he passed. The man tumbled gracelessly to the floor. 

 

The other two drew their own batons. Barry blocked one blow with his forearm, while parrying a strike from the other guard with his own baton. He disarmed the second guard and kicked him in the stomach, knocking him to the floor. 

 

Using the blocking arm, he pushed the baton away just enough to punch the final guard in the throat. 

 

When he looked back, both Snarts were staring. He shrugged. “Gotham.”

 

It wasn’t a good excuse, but Lewis didn’t seem to care. He kept on, giving Barry a strange look as he passed. Snart, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow as he passed. “Nicely done.”

 

Barry tried to ignore the blush forcing its way onto his face as he continued on with them. He tapped the comms when he was out of earshot. “Anything yet?”

 

_ “Still working on it, Barry,”  _ Cisco replied in a rushed tone. He shut the comm off and hurried to catch up to the thieves. He found them stopped outside a massive, steel door. 

 

“A Montgomery 3000,” Leonard said. “Pricey. I can open it in less than sixty seconds, though. Unless anyone has any other ideas?”

 

He looked at Barry, like he was so certain Barry knew the code. He did, of course, but he wasn’t sure how Snart would know that. He shook his head, so Snart got to work. 

 

“Allen, you keep an eye out,” Lewis ordered. Barry didn’t trust the man, so he leaned his back against the wall, keeping the hall in one eye and Lewis in the other. The way he hovered over his son told Barry he wasn’t planning on letting Leonard walk out with the jewel. Maybe not even at all. 

 

He tapped the comm again. “Guys?”

 

_ “We need like five more minutes. The bomb is very volatile--” _

 

“It’s a  _ bomb? _ ” He hadn’t expected that, though he probably should’ve. What kind of douchebag put a bomb in his own child’s neck, though? Anger filled his stomach as he glared a hole into the man’s back. 

 

The door beeped and slid open, breaking Barry from his thoughts. Snart gave Barry a worried look, and they both followed Lewis into the vault. 

 

Barry had been inside the vault before--he was there when they updated the system and oversaw them moving most of the weapons. The walls were lined with glass cases embedded in the wall. When a code was typed in, the glass would slide open. 

 

They strode through the vault, past the various weaponry, until they came to The Marsha Diamond’s case. Lewis turned to Snart. 

 

“Time to do what I brought you for. Freeze that glass, get the diamond, and give it to me.”

 

Snart clenched his fists like all he wanted to do was shove his fist through his father’s nose, but Barry caught his eye and gave a small nod. Blowing out a breath, Snart drew his cold gun and fired at the glass. 

 

Behind Lewis, Barry drew his baton...only for Lewis to turn and aim his gun between his eyes. 

 

He cursed himself for getting too cocky--of course Lewis would expect Barry to do something. It’s what  _ he  _ would do. Barry held his hands up. 

 

“Now drop it,” Lewis ordered. Barry complied. With the element of surprise lost, there was nothing he could do until STAR Labs called. 

 

Snart had already frozen the glass and was watching them with extreme interest. Lewis moved so his son wasn’t standing behind him, pressing the gun to Barry’s temple. “Get the diamond, and give it here, or I kill him.” 

 

Snart narrowed his eyes, and Lewis snorted. “Don’t play cold on me now. I’ve heard the rumors on the inside--Captain Cold’s gone soft. Made some deal with the heroes to save your own ass. Wonder what would happen if I blew his brains out and left you here for the Flash to find?” 

 

Barry took a deep breath. Before Lewis could react, Barry knocked his arm into the air and twisted it back. Then, he struck his wrist, forcing him to release the gun, and kicked it away before releasing him and moving beside Snart.

 

Snart had the cold gun aimed at his father. 

 

Lewis laughed and drew a detonator from his pocket. “Forgetting something?”

 

Snart froze, terrified, but Barry wasn’t worried. Both Snarts had already forgotten about his daggers. Fast as he could, he threw one, Batarang style. 

 

Lewis screamed when the blade sliced through his hand, forcing him to drop the detonator. Snart grinned. “Nice shot.”

 

“Thanks.” 

 

Lewis sneered. “You think this saves your sister? There’s a timer in the bomb. If I don’t get that thing out of her within twenty-four hours of putting it in, her whole melon blows.”

 

Barry smirked. “I wouldn’t be too worried about that.” He tapped his comm. “Please tell me that you’ve got the bomb out.”

 

_ “Not yeeeettt….got it!”  _ Cisco said. 

 

“It’s out,” he told Snart, who smirked at his father. 

 

_ “Barry,”  _ Iris’ voice came over the comm,  _ “tell us where you are so that we can pick up Lewis Snart.”  _

 

Barry looked at Snart, at the cold gun in his hand, pointed at his father’s heart. He shut off the comm and took a step back.

 

Snart furrowed his brow, glancing quickly back at Barry. “What, no speech about how I shouldn’t ice this son of a bitch? How it’d make me less of a hero, or how I’m better than that?”

 

Barry shook his head. “No. This is your vendetta. If you think killing your father will bring you closure, then do it. But, I also know a prison he can rot in for a very long time if you want that. It’s your choice to make.”

 

Snart tightened his grip on his gun. Barry could see him weighing his options, knowing exactly which way he was leaning. Then, the room erupted in a fury of yellow lightning. 

 

“Cold!” Iris shouted, skidding to a stop inside the entrance to the vault. Snart’s eyes widened, and he fired. A shard of ice shot through the older Snart’s heart, and he fell to the floor in a frozen heap. 

 

Barry turned to Iris. She was staring at Snart in shock. He’d broken their deal. He’d killed someone, even if it was a bad person. Before, he could’ve told her that he did it to protect Barry, but now? With her as a witness? 

 

Leonard Snart didn’t deserve to go to jail for getting rid of his abuser. So, he did the only thing he could think to do. He grabbed Snart’s arm while Iris was staring at Lewis’ corpse and jerked Snart closer, aiming the cold gun at his head. 

 

Snart frowned but caught on to what Barry was doing. “Sorry, Flash,” he drawled, going from Leonard Snart to Captain Cold in a split second, “but I’m not really in the ‘prison’ mood. So, I think I’ll be taking my insurance here and leaving.”

 

“Snart...” Iris warned, but he was already moving Barry towards the door. 

 

“And don’t try anything funny. I’ve made some modifications on this gun that not even your friends know about. Might freeze you in your tracks.”

 

“It’ll be okay, Flash,” Barry assured like he was the hostage and not the person who came up with the idea in the first place. 

 

Before Iris could come after them, Snart turned the gun on her, freezing her feet to the floor. 

 

“Hey!” Barry shouted, but Snart shushed him.

 

“Don’t get fired up. The Flash’s costume can deal with a little cold.”

 

With that, he dragged Barry out of the vault.

 

—————

 

When they made it to the van, Snart lowered his cold gun. 

 

“Need a ride?” he asked. “I’m assuming you didn’t walk from STAR Labs to the warehouse.”

 

Barry considered saying no, but then, he thought about the walk he would have to take to get back to his bike and sighed.

 

He was very fond of that bike. 

 

Rolling his eyes, he climbed into the passenger side of the van. Snart climbed into the driver’s seat, and they took off back through the streets of Central. 

 

After going a few blocks in silence, Snart finally spoke up. “Suppose I should thank you.” 

 

Barry shook his head. “Your dad was a dick. It was my pleasure to help stop him.” 

 

“I meant for saving me in that alley a few weeks back.” 

 

There was an insufferable smirk on Snart’s lips, and Barry couldn’t reply. His mouth was dry. 

 

“Did you think I wouldn’t recognize those fight moves back there? Not many people in Central are that skilled, kid. Or should I say ‘Thunderbird’?” 

 

Barry’s heart slammed to a stop. Thunderbird. He hadn’t been called that in a while. Not since he hung up his cape. Of course Leonard Snart would know, would figure it out. Barry could’ve lied. Should’ve, even. But he was tired of lying and pretending to be something he wasn’t. “You know about that, huh?”

 

Snart shrugged. “Wasn’t certain until I saw you take down those guards. I like to keep tabs on all my vigilantes. Even ones in Gotham.”

 

Tension drained from Barry’s shoulders. All of his bravadoes faded, replaced by the real Barry--tired, wounded, lonely. “And? What do you know?”

 

Snart pulled into the parking lot of the warehouse and threw it in park. “Thunderbird: Didn’t show up until Robin’s death. Condolences, by the way--I’m assuming he was the brother you talked about.”

 

No one ever accused Leonard Snart of being stupid. 

 

“Thunderbird was first seen running around with Catwoman, who you admitted to training with, then started fighting with Batman. Gotham police had a hard time figuring out whose side he was on. There was a task force, but about a year later, the lead detective called it off. Then, something happened. Thunderbird disappeared. No sign of him. And here you are, hiding in Central City under the Flash’s nose. Why is that, I wonder?”

 

Barry sighed. “You’re too smart for your own good. Yeah, you’re right on most accounts. Except I’m not hiding.”

 

Snart raised an eyebrow. “The plot thickens.”

 

He could tell Snart wanted to know more, but that was enough honesty about his tragic backstory for one night. “What are you going to do with all this?”

 

Snart pursed his lips. “Nothing.”

 

For the second time in less than ten minutes, Leonard Snart shocked him. “What?”

 

“You helped save my sister and kept me out of prison,” Snart explained. “I don’t like owing people.” He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and shoved it into Barry’s hand. “Consider us even, kid.”

 

Barry frowned but climbed out of the van, heading for his bike.

 

“I do hope to see you again, though,” Snart called back from his van. “After all, I could always use help from someone who knows a thing or two about thievery. Might even invite you to join my Rogues.”

 

Barry looked back and laughed. “Never gonna happen, Snart.” 

 

“It’s Len,” he corrected, starting up the van. “And you’ll warm up to me. See ya around,  _ Mr. Wayne.” _

 

Barry’s humor froze as Len sped away. He knew who Barry was. Which meant it wasn’t a far leap to figure out who Batman was. Something, a small voice that sounded like Alfred for some weird reason, told him that it would be okay. Leonard Snart wasn’t an evil person. He wouldn’t reveal Barry’s identity or his family’s. He knew too well what it would do. 

 

When he unfolded the paper, he snorted. It was Captain Cold’s phone number. 

 


	7. West and Wayne

Barry shot Iris a text on his way back into his apartment, letting her know that he was okay and that Snart had left him on the side of the road. She texted him back, calling him stupid and reckless, along with a whole list of other expletives. Barry smiled, knowing it meant she cared enough to be worried about him.

 

When he walked into his apartment, he armed his alarm and threw his keys in the plate by his door. Leonard Snart’s phone number was burning a hole in his pocket, but he wasn’t sure what to do with it.

 

He threw it on his desk, and his eyes caught the duffel still tucked underneath. For a moment, he’d been Thunderbird again, kicking ass and taking names, stopping the bad guy. Maybe he let Leonard Snart go too far, but in his heart, he believed that Snar-- _Len_ did the right thing. Lewis wasn’t going to stop coming after him and his sister. It was the only way to protect the ones he loved.

 

He raised his eyes back to the top of the desk, to a photo of him and Jason, back when they were fifteen and stupid. It was winter, and Jason had convinced Barry to jump into the creek that ran through the land around the Wayne Estate in his underwear. Barry got pneumonia, and Jason sat at his bedside through the whole illness, taunting him and teasing, and telling him that as soon as he was better, they would go sledding.

 

In the picture, Barry was wrapped up in a blanket, practically blue in the lips, but laughing and smiling at his brother, who was sprawled across the bed with him, in the throes of deep belly laughs.

 

He smiled and ran a finger down the glass, wishing he could live those moments all over again. Shaking his head, he moved into his bedroom, stripped off his Matches costume, and climbed into the shower to wash it all away.

 

Wash away the guilt of Jason’s death. Wash away the pain of being unable to look away as the Joker televised torturing Jason live on Gotham television. Wash away the loneliness he’d felt, the anger that pushed him to become Thunderbird. Wash away the heartbreak…

 

A knock on his door tore him out of his wallowing. He hadn’t even realized the water was starting to run cold. He shut off the shower and climbed out, patting himself dry with the towel while another knock pounded at the door.

 

Who the hell was visiting him at almost ten o’clock at night?

 

Throwing on a pair of sleep pants, he draped the towel over his shoulders and strode to the door. He rolled his eyes when whoever was at the door knocked again.

 

“I’m coming!” he yelled. “Give me a second.”

 

He swung open the door, ready to tell whoever was on the other side to _chill out_ when he froze. His breath caught in his throat.

 

“Jesse?”

 

Detective Jesse Reese smiled sheepishly, hand raised to knock again. He lowered it slowly. That’s when Barry noticed the grocery bag in his other hand. If he had to make a guess, there was a pint of cookie dough ice cream inside.

 

“Hey, Bare...can I come in?”

 

Half of him wanted to say no and shut the door in his face. The other half wanted to jump in his arms and beg him to take him back. Compromising, he walked back into his apartment, letting Jesse interpret it however he wanted. The door shut behind him and footsteps followed him inside. He sighed, popping back into the bathroom to hang up his towel and put his sleep shirt on.

 

When he came back out, Jesse was sitting on his couch. Like he’d predicted, there was a pint of ice cream on the coffee table with a spoon laying across the top.

 

Jesse was still as gorgeous as he was the last time Barry saw him--damn him. Like Shemar Moore, but right there and better. He sighed. “What are you doing here, Jesse?”

 

He turned to Barry, smiling sadly. “I wanted to talk.”

 

“You came all the way from Gotham to talk?”

 

Jesse grimaced. “Technically, I came from Gotham on business. There’s a criminal I’m tracking on the run, and rumor is that he’s here in Central, but that’s not important. It’s not why I’m here right now. I volunteered for the assignment after Alfred told me that you were here.”

 

Barry raised an eyebrow. “Okay, talk.” He sat as far from Jesse as he could and grabbed the ice cream off the table. No use in letting it go to waste, after all. He popped off the lid and scooped a mouthful.

 

“I’m sorry about how things went the last time that we really talked.”

 

“You mean when you called me a criminal and a liar?”

 

He remembered the way Jesse looked at him like he was a monster or something. When he realized his fianceé was a vigilante. Not just a vigilante, but the one he’d assembled a taskforce against. While Barry Allen and Jesse Reese were dating, Detective Reese was chasing down Thunderbird, calling him an uncontrollable element in their vigilante line-up. Barry knew what would happen when Jesse found out the truth, but he could never bring himself to break it off or tell the truth.

 

That was a mistake.

 

Jesse sighed. “Yeah, that wasn’t fair. I didn’t really let you explain yourself.”

 

Barry frowned. “Are you just saying this because the last time you saw me, I almost died?”

 

“Technically, you _did_ die,” Jesse corrected. “But no. I’ve just been thinking a lot about things. About how I felt when I saw you dead...about how guilty I would’ve felt if those were the last words I said to you.”

 

Barry shook his head. “No. Don’t apologize for saying something you meant just because you feel bad about it now. It was my fault--I should’ve been honest with you.”

 

“Maybe. But just because I meant it then, doesn’t mean that I don’t get it now. I thought about everything, and I think I was wrong to break things off. I still love you.”

 

Barry stabbed his spoon into his ice cream and set the pint on the table. “No. You don’t get to come in like this when I’m starting over and drag me back. Just because I’m not Thunderbird anymore doesn’t mean I’m not the same person I was when you broke up with me. I think you need to leave.”

 

...at least, that’s what he should’ve said and done.

 

Instead, he stared at his ex-fianceé like a slack-jawed idiot. When Jesse moved closer, Barry swallowed hard, letting his eyes drift closed as he leaned in...only to have a kiss pressed to his cheek.

 

“Don’t make any decisions now, Barry,” he whispered. “I’m going to be here for a few weeks. Just...think about it, okay?”

 

Barry didn’t dare open his eyes as Jesse rose off the couch and headed out the door. Once the door shut, however, he fell face first on the sofa and screamed into the cushion.

 

\----------

After the Snart incident, where Wayne nearly got himself killed, Iris found things returning to Flash normal. There was an incident with Professor Stein and Firestorm almost imploding, but a new partner by the name of Jefferson Jackson fixed that good as new.

 

It was a couple days later when she found out about some other changes, namely a new detective on temporary assignment from Gotham named Jesse Reese. According to her father, he was tracking down some masked criminal or something and was using CCPD resources to help. She wondered, for a moment, if his arrival and Barry’s was a coincidence, but she pushed it away quickly. After the Snart thing, she promised herself she’d try to give Barry a chance.

 

Which is why, when he asked her to coffee to clear the air, she’d accepted. Honestly, she thought she’d hate it a lot more than she did.

 

They arrived a little after seven pm, but ended up closing Jitters and having to move their conversation to the street. Talking with Barry was just so easy like she’d known him her whole life.

 

When he slurped down the last few drops of his hot chocolate, Iris couldn’t help but laugh. “You really love cocoa, don’t you?”

 

“My mom used to buy me one every Sunday during winter. She’d get a coffee, I’d get one of these, and we’d sit in the park and watch people.”

 

Barry didn’t talk about his family much, so she absorbed as much information as she could. It was hard to trust someone you know nothing about. “That sounds nice.”

 

Barry nodded. “Yeah, it’s one of the things I miss about Central.”

 

She stopped walking, forcing Barry to skid to a stop beside her. “You used to live in Central?”

 

“Yeah,” he replied, “I was raised here.”

 

“I thought you were raised in Gotham.”

 

Barry laughed. “I mean, I was, but not my whole life. Before I was adopted, I lived here for the first decade or so of my life. It wasn’t until I was put into foster care that I was moved out of the city.”

 

Iris had never even considered that. She knew that Barry was adopted--Bruce Wayne didn’t have any biological children, after all--but she’d never even thought about before that.

 

“Anyway,” Barry kept on, continuing their walk, “once I got to Gotham, it took me forever to find a cocoa I liked as much. Alfred--he’s our butler--he tried like a hundred different recipes when I first moved in, and somehow he always knew when I didn’t think it was quite right, even when I lied and said it was perfect. Alfred’s creepy like that. I think he just wanted me to feel at home, though. I’ve always had a hard time with settling in places, and he wanted me to know I always had a home at Wayne Manor.”

 

He frowned like he was remembering something sad he hadn’t thought about in a long time. A sore spot he’d thought he’d smoothed over. Iris realized in that moment that maybe, despite being a little rich boy, Barry wasn’t so different from the rest of Team Flash. They all had their scars and pasts, things they wished they could forget or change.

 

She took his hand in hers and smiled. “You have one here, too. As much of a pain in the ass as you are, I pride myself on being a pretty good judge of character. And I think you might be one of us.”

 

A smile pulled at the edge of Barry’s lips, but then it pulled back into a frown again. “Iris, there’s something I need to tell you. Before Bruce adopted me, I was--oh my god!”

 

His eyes widened as he turned to face her, but before Iris could react, a large hand wrapped around her throat and she was yanked into the air. She was frozen in shock as she was brought face to face with a large, humanoid, great white shark.

 

Why did these things always happen to her?

 

“Flash…” it hissed. “Zoom wants you dead.”

 

It opened its mouth wide, and Iris struggled in its grip, unsure of how she was going to get out of this one.

 

“Hey!” She heard Barry yell, and suddenly, the shark’s body seized, and she was dropped to the ground. Barry was standing strong against it, a stun gun in his hands, eyes narrowed like he wasn’t facing off against a giant shark.

 

The beast looked at him with what looked like a sneer, but was almost impossible to tell on a shark’s face, and ripped the wires off its body.

 

“I could use a _snack…”_ it growled, pulling the wires so Barry stumbled and released the gun.

 

Iris cursed. She needed to get Barry out of there. She searched around for something she could use as a weapon against a giant shark when a bright blue flash lit up the street. Barry barely stumbled back in time to avoid the shark man’s falling body as it was shot unconscious by some kind of laser.

 

She ran to his side, but he was already focused on their savior. She was in as much shock as he was. The man was hooded, wielding a large, futuristic rifle that was pulsing with blue light.

 

“What the hell?” Barry asked, but the man was already turning to walk away.

 

“Wait!” Iris yelled, speeding over to cut off the man’s retreat. “Who are you?”

 

Their savior sighed, pulling down his hood. Iris’ heart slammed to a stop. Harrison Wells’ face was staring back at her, but that didn’t make sense. Why would Thawne save her?

 

“I’m not who you think,” he spoke up, cutting through her thoughts. Barry was the first to figure it out.

 

“You’re Harrison Wells,” he said. “The one from Jay’s Earth.”

 

\----------

 

As Barry left with the Flash and Harrison Wells, he lowered his AK-47. That shark thing had gotten too close. If it’d gotten even near him…

 

 _But it didn’t_ , he reminded himself. Barry was too much of a hero, though. He had no powers, and, at that moment, had only been armed with a taser. What if Wells hadn’t shown up?

 

He grabbed a pistol from his waistband and sighed. He needed to take more precautions, especially if Barry continued down this path.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty sure that Barry's observer is obvious now, but I'm curious if anyone's picked up on it yet. Also, Jesse Reese will be a bigger part of this story than I intended, and there will be a bit of a love triangle, but Coldflash is endgame, don't worry


	8. From the light and into the dark

Barry volunteered to stay in STAR Labs overnight with Wells, just in case he wasn’t who he said he was, while she headed home to get some rest. After all, growing up with Batman, he didn’t mind pulling all-nighters. 

 

Wells paced back and forth in the cortex, looking at the different computers and screens and such like he was comparing the labs to the ones on his Earth.  _ He probably is _ , a voice that sounded like Dick said in his head.  _ If he is Harrison Wells, this is all as new to him as his Earth would be for everyone else. _

 

“So,” Wells finally spoke up, “where’s my doppelganger? I’m sure he’ll be helpful in this fight.”

 

“Don’t know.” 

 

Barry was leaned back in Cisco’s seat, feet propped up on the computer desk while he played with his ring dagger again. Somehow, he didn’t think that Wells would tell anyone about his propensity to carry around various weapons on his person--something he’d tried to keep hidden from the rest of the team, on the chance it could raise uncomfortable questions of why. 

 

“From what I heard,” he continued, “he purposely blew up the city with the particle accelerator, caused the death of one of our team member’s fiance, and ran off god knows where to plot his revenge when he didn’t get what he wanted from them.” 

 

Wells hummed but didn’t seem concerned. “And now you’re wondering if I’m evil too?”

 

“Nope,” he replied, exaggerating the popping of the ‘p’. “If I thought you were him or that you were going to hurt anyone in this building, you’d be so far away that you’d never see your precious Earth or anyone on it you love again.”

 

Wells turned to him with narrowed eyes, and Barry met them unflinchingly. Suddenly, the man laughed, cold and humorlessly. 

 

“You’re a far cry from your bumbling doppelganger, Mr. Allen.”

 

Barry’s eyes widened. “I am  _ not  _ Barry Allen. My name is Barry Wayne, and you will remember that.” 

 

Wells raised an eyebrow but nodded. “Fine,  _ Wayne _ . What’s your role here at STAR Labs?”

 

“I fund it.”

 

Wells snorted and threw his hands up. “That figures. Even on this Earth, the Wayne name comes with a fortune.”

 

“Figures every version of Harrison Wells is a douchebag,” Barry shot back. “Y’know, before I moved here, I loved Harrison Wells. I thought he was brilliant, one of the greatest men who ever lived. Then, when you saved us, I thought that maybe you were the one who would live up to that expectation. But you’re just a dick. Why are you even here?”

 

“To help the Flash.”

 

That got Barry’s attention. He frowned. “Help her how?”

 

“There’s a speedster on my Earth--”

 

“Zoom. Yeah, I’ve picked that much up. We’ve met Jay. Evil speedster, obsessed with being the best, stole the Flash’s speed and now wants to kill Iris so he can be the best.”

 

“I think that she’s our best chance at stopping him and saving both our Earths.”

 

Barry kicked his feet off the table and leaned forward. “Why are you so concerned with defeating Zoom? You don’t strike me as the philanthropic type. What did he do to you?”

 

Any emotion Wells held on his face melted away, and right then, Barry knew. Zoom had taken something precious from this version of Harrison Wells. He wanted revenge. While Barry could usually stand behind that, he wouldn’t stand for it if it meant Iris or Cisco or anyone else got hurt. 

 

“We’ll help,” he promised. “We will stop Zoom.” He rose to his feet, dagger still in his hand, and strode over to where Wells stood. “But if whatever vendetta you have with him gets anyone on Team Flash hurt or killed, I swear to you, you will wish that Zoom had destroyed your world. Because I’ll bring it crashing down around you in ways you can’t possibly imagine. Understand?”

 

Wells blank expression faltered for only a split second, but it was long enough for Barry to see the fear behind his eyes. Good. He should be scared of him. “I see it now,” the other man said, turning away and walking back across the room. “You were right. You’re not an Allen. You are, without question, a Wayne.”

 

Those were the last words they said to each other the whole night. The next morning, Barry left when the rest of the team came in to meet their newest visitor, knowing that Iris would bring her father so that she could explain things to him in a more controlled environment. 

 

Once he stepped outside of the labs, his phone buzzed. For a split second, he hoped it was Leonard Snart, but then he pushed that to the side. Flirting with Snart was fun, and he was a very attractive man, but it was unlikely the two would cross paths that way ever again. 

 

Checking his messages, he still felt a twinge of disappointment when Jesse’s name showed up on the screen. That whole situation was just a confusing mess. He thought back on the last time he’d really seen Jesse, the day he found out that Barry was Thunderbird. 

 

It was a month after Jesse asked him to marry him, and Barry accepted. He knew things would come to a head eventually, and that the fallout was going to be devastating, but he ignored it. He was in love, and he was on a mission. Neither could compromise the other. 

 

He was going against Firefly, who nearly burned down five square blocks of the city. The police had been called, meaning that Jesse and his anti-Thunderbird taskforce were there, too. Firefly had been easy enough to bring down, and Barry made sure that the buildings were clear of civilians before leaping away onto the next rooftop. 

 

Unfortunately, that’s where Jesse was waiting for him, gun drawn. He froze in place, not knowing what to do as Jesse ordered him to put his hands up and get on the ground. He couldn’t get caught--it would jeopardize the entire Bat Family if Gotham were to find out that Barry Wayne was Thunderbird.

 

So, he made a choice. One that would only ruin his life. He pulled down his hood and removed his mask. 

 

He’d never seen Jesse so hurt or furious. He grabbed Barry, pulling him away from the edge of the roof where any passerby could see them and shoved him against the wall of the stairwell. For a moment, Barry had thought Jesse might actually shoot him. 

 

Instead, he’d screamed--about how betrayed he was, how Barry’d used him, how he wanted Barry to go and that he never wanted to see him again. 

 

Barry obliged, hurt and brokenhearted. The next day, Jesse called off the task force. Two weeks after that...well, it was the beginning of the end of Thunderbird. 

 

He opened his message, cursing himself for the way his heart flipped at the message. 

 

_ How do you feel about dinner tonight? Maybe around 8? _

 

His determination and steadfastness were two of the things that made Barry fall in love with him. Now, though, it just confused him. 

 

Unfortunately for him, his body didn’t seem as conflicted as his heart and head. Before he knew it, he was already texting him back. 

 

_ Okay. Pick me up?  _

 

He rolled his eyes at himself.  _ Stupid slut. You are  _ not  _ doing what you think you’re doing tonight. You’re mad at him.  _

 

_ Yeah, but Jesse… _

 

_ No. Stay strong. _

 

He sighed and tucked his phone away.

  
  


\----------

 

At first, Barry thought that Caitlin had a thing for Jay. The way she defended him, doted on him, the smiles she gave him. Then, after the big reveal of Harrison Wells to the team, the two of them stopped at Jitters to get coffees for the team. 

 

“Hi, what can I get you?” 

 

Caitlin opened her mouth to order, but nothing came out as she stared wide-eyed at the new barista. Barry bit back a laugh as the barista--Kendra, her name tag said--smiled expectedly. 

 

“Do you want a coffee?” 

 

Still, nothing. A pink blush grew on Caitlin’s cheeks, and Barry sighed, taking pity. “Sorry, she’s just...deciding if she wants a muffin or not,” he said. “We’ll take three Flashes and a hot chocolate. Caitlin, have you decided on the muffin yet or not?”

 

That snapped her out of her daze. Blushing even harder, she nodded. 

 

“And one muffin.” Barry smiled at Kendra, who frowned at them, but rang it up all the same. 

 

“What flavor muffin?”

 

Oh, god. “You pick,” he said quickly. 

 

When they stepped out of Jitters, Barry holding their drinks in one hand and their impromptu muffin in the other, Caitlin dropped her head into her hands. “Oh my god, what was that?”

 

Barry laughed. “I think it was a crush, but it also might have been your brain completely short-circuiting.” 

 

“I haven’t acted like that since my roommate Sophie Carlton in my sophomore year of college,” she said. “Oh my  _ god _ .”

 

Barry laughed harder, handing the muffin bag over to her. “Welcome to the club of ‘I don’t know what the hell my love life is doing right now’. You have a crush on the pretty barista, and I have a date with my ex-fianceé tonight.” 

 

That got Caitlin’s attention off of Kendra. “You were engaged?”

 

“Oh yes,” Barry replied. “And it ended messily and horribly, with name-calling and he told me he never wanted to see me again, then a few months later, I got in a bad accident and almost died, and it’s got him reconsidering everything.”

 

Caitlin pursed her lips. “And you’re on the fence because?” 

 

Barry sighed. “I...I kind of met someone here, and I want to see where that could go, but Jesse is a much safer option. He’s known me for years, knows my family, isn’t….”

 

“A criminal?” Caitlin asked, lowering her voice. Barry stared at her in shock, and she laughed. “Leonard Snart is the only person you’ve spent any time with besides us, Barry. And we both know that you don’t like Jay and that Cisco and Iris are too caught up in their feelings for each other to be any kind of option for anyone else.”

 

“True,” Barry agreed.

 

The humor faded off of Caitlin’s lips, and she sighed. “Look, I don’t like Leonard Snart. Last year, he kidnapped me to use against Iris, he kidnapped Cisco to build him a new gun, and he betrayed Iris and released a bunch of metahumans back into the city. But, I will admit that Snart has a code. He didn’t have many choices growing up, and with that under consideration, he’s not a bad person. He could’ve killed me or Cisco or let the metas kill Iris, but he didn’t. I’m not saying that you should try to date him, but I don’t think it’s fair to discount him because he’s the ‘bad guy’.”

 

“You don’t think that just because someone does bad things, they’re bad people?”

 

Caitlin frowned. “Eobard Thawne-- _ our  _ Harrison Wells--did a lot of good things. He helped Iris become the Flash. He gave Cisco and I chances when no one else would. He donated to charity and made sure that every victim of the explosion was taken care of. But, in the end, he was a terrible person whose goal was to hurt people, despite all that goodness. If a bad person can do good things, why can’t it be the same for people who do bad things?” 

 

Before he could reply, both of their phones started to go off. 

 

\----------

 

There was another breacher, a thief by the name of Doctor Light. The whole situation spurred a fight between Jay and Harry, who knew and hated one another back on Earth-2, but Barry left halfway through their argument, getting a message on his phone. 

 

“I’m going to head out,” he whispered to Iris. “Something’s happening at Wayne Enterprises. They need me.”

 

“Do you need any help?” she asked, concerned. 

 

Barry shook his head. “I don’t think so. I’ll call if it’s something for the Flash to check out.”

 

She nodded, and Barry hurried out the door. There was a car waiting for him, and he climbed in and rode back to his building, immediately falling into the role of Barry Wayne, heir to Wayne Enterprises. 

 

When he strode into the building, even wearing his red leather jacket and jeans, everyone looked to him with respect and a bit of fear. Caroline Crown was waiting at the elevator for him. He stepped inside, Caroline stepping inside after him. 

 

“How did this happen?” he demanded. 

 

“It seems that during the break-in at the vault, Lewis Snart planted something while his son was trying to get the diamonds. It seems he was working for someone else that had him plant it. It disabled all of our alarms, so the thief was able to just stroll inside and take what he wanted.”

 

“And what exactly did he want?” 

 

The elevator doors opened before she could answer, and Wallace Keefe, head of security, was waiting for him. His eyes widened. “Mr. Wayne...we didn’t think that you’d be handling this directly.”

 

“My father put me in charge of all business in Central,” he replied shortly. “That means that if there’s so much as a sneeze, I hear about it and am here with a tissue. Now, the Snart break-in was one thing. I want to know what was taken and how no one noticed there was a skeleton key hidden in here.” 

 

He was trembling with anger, but mostly at himself. How could he be so stupid not to notice that Lewis Snart wasn’t smart enough to plan the heist himself? Of course someone fed it to him, gave him directions, fed on his desire to get even with his son. 

 

He stormed to the vault, William and Caroline at his heels. The door was already open and when he stepped inside, his heart fell to his stomach. 

 

Scarecrow’s Fear Gas.

 

Bane’s Venom. 

 

Talon’s Electrum. 

 

Water from the Lazarus Pit.

 

Poison Ivy’s bottled pheromones. 

 

There were five weapons missing. Five dangerous, Gotham level weapons loose in Central City. 

  
  
  
  



	9. Date Night

Leonard Snart prided himself on secrecy. No one knew where all of his safe houses were--not even Mick and Lisa. There was always a place for him to hide out, and no one ever knew which one he was squatting at unless he told them. 

 

Which is why he found it odd when he strolled inside his apartment in the upper side of the city to find Barry Wayne kicked back in his favorite chair, reading one of the mystery novels from his shelf. 

 

“It’s the sister,” he called out, lowering the book to glare in Len’s direction. “She’s just framing the neighbor so that she can run off with his brother and steal their inheritance.”

 

Len frowned. “What?”

 

“The book.” He held it up for him to see and sat it on the end table. Len had read that one twice, and it threw him through a loop every time. If the place Barry marked was any indication, he was only four chapters in. 

 

Show off. 

 

“Any particular reason you’re in my safe house?” Len asked though it was more of a demand than a question. “In fact, how did you even know where this was?”

 

Barry shrugged. “I put a tracker on your van.”

 

“I ditched that van.”

 

“I also put one in your parka while I was lifting your keys at the warehouse. And I got one in your boot while you were holding me hostage, but turns out, that one was completely unnecessary. I found you first try.”

 

Len raised an eyebrow and cursed himself for not bringing his cold gun while he was out. It was in his bedroom closet in the case, right under the parka with the tracker. He wasn’t sure what Barry’s intentions were, but after seeing the way he easily took down the guards at W.E and the way he’d just watched Len gun down his own father, he would feel a lot safer with it on him. 

 

“Impressive, but that doesn’t answer my first question.” He approached Barry like he wasn’t slightly terrified of the kid and leaned over the chair, grabbing each of the arms to cage him in. He smirked. “If you wanted to see me so bad, I did give you my number.”

 

A brief smile tugged at the corner of Barry’s lips, but his eyes stayed locked on Len’s, calculating and harsh. “I had something I needed to ask you in person. I’m pretty good at telling when people are lying to my face.”

 

Interesting. “Ask away.”

 

“Did you have anything to do with the break-in at Wayne Enterprises?”

 

That...wasn’t what Len expected. He stepped back and frowned. “You were there. Did you hit your head?”

 

Barry rolled his eyes. “No. The one last night. Someone left a skeleton key behind in the vault, and five supervillain weapons were stolen. Our head of security suspects that someone paid your father to leave it behind, but…”

 

“But you want to make sure I didn’t take you for a ride and take advantage of your trust,” Len concluded. 

 

He wasn’t angry. On the contrary, he was impressed. Most people would’ve either outrightly assumed that Len was involved or would’ve completely ignored it out of fear of being wrong. Barry wanted the truth, even if it hurt him. Something told Len he was used to getting hurt by people he trusted. He fell to one knee at Barry’s feet and took one of his hands in his. 

 

“Barry,” he said, “I swear to you on my sister’s life, I had nothing to do with that break-in. At least knowingly. I didn’t know what Lewis was planning, and if I had, I would’ve stopped him.”

 

Barry narrowed his eyes and searched Len’s face, trying to find a tell or sign of dishonesty. He wouldn’t find any, though. Len always admitted when he double-crossed somebody. He may have been a liar and a criminal, but he always let people know where they stood with him. 

 

After a moment, Barry nodded. “I believe you. I didn’t actually think you did, but I had to be sure. I’ve misjudged people before, and it cost me almost everything.”

 

“I understand.” Len nodded. He was still holding Barry’s hand, but he didn’t want to let go. Didn’t want to lose this moment. 

 

Then, a phone alarm sounded, and it was gone. Barry jumped, pulling his hand out of Len’s to get his phone out of his back pocket. “Shit,” he hissed. “I need to get back to my apartment and get ready. It’s almost seven-thirty.”

 

Len raised an eyebrow. “Hot date?”

 

Barry ran a hand down his face and groaned. “Kind of. My ex is in town and wants me to think about getting back together. We’re supposed to be going out to dinner tonight.”

 

A monster awakened in Len’s stomach at the thought of Barry on a date with another man, especially one he’d be so serious with. “And are you thinking about it?”

 

Barry frowned. “Having dinner?”

 

“Getting back together.” Len rose to his feet. “Who broke up with who?”

 

“Not that it’s your business, but he dumped me after he found out that I was Thunderbird. He’s very anti-vigilante.”

 

Len snorted. “And he wants to get back together now that you’re no longer Thunderbird. There’s timing.”

 

Barry, jumped to his feet, opening his mouth like he was going to argue, then paused. Len grinned, knowing he had Barry there. “You should be with someone who accepts you, Thunderbird and all. Someone who sees that Thunderbird is sometimes more you than Barry Wayne is. Did he even let you explain yourself?”

 

“I mean, no…”

 

Len put a finger to Barry’s lips and stepped closer into him, so they were practically sharing the same air. “Barry, you deserve better than feeling like you have to hide yourself to be loved. This part of you--the dark, kick-ass, angry side--is just as worthy of love as the seductive, bright, kind side of you. And anyone who makes you feel like you aren’t doesn’t deserve you.”

 

He lowered his finger, and Barry breathed slowly. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t know many people who want to deal with the damaged half, much less love it.”

 

Len’s heart splintered at the words. It made him furious that anyone had made this man--this wonderful, perfect man who seemed to have jumped right out of all of Len’s fantasies--feel like he needed to be anything other than what he was to be worthy of anything. He hadn’t even realized he’d moved until his hands were on Barry’s cheeks. 

 

“Barry…”

 

He wasn’t sure what was going to happen, if he was going to kiss Barry or just stare at him in awe, but Barry made the decision for him. He lowered his eyes and smiled sadly. 

 

“Thank you. For the nice words, and for not robbing my family’s company.” 

 

He took a step away from Len, breaking the gravity between them, but Len took him by the hand to stop him from going too far. 

 

“What are you going to do?”

 

Barry sighed. “I’m going to find the thief, get the weapons back, and most importantly, keep it quiet. No one needs to know these kinds of weapons are on the streets of Central City.” 

 

Len smiled tightly and nodded. “Anything I can do to help, I will. My father caused this, and I’ll help you fix it. Besides, we don’t need any more supervillains running around this city than we already have.”

 

Barry smiled back. “I’d like that.” His phone buzzed again, and Barry sighed. “I really gotta go. I’m sorry.”

 

He rushed out the door, and all Len could think was  _ Damn, I’m screwed.  _

 

\----------

 

Barry was confused. His feelings were everywhere. He was almost positive that, had he not stepped away, Leonard Snart would’ve kissed him. What he’d said about Thunderbird, the way he’d cupped Barry’s face like he was something precious. Barry hadn’t felt that special in so long. Right there, in those few seconds, he wanted to stay there with him. 

 

But then, reality hit him, and he pulled away. 

 

He practically ran back to his motorcycle and sped back to his apartment, leaving him fifteen minutes to get ready for his date. He hoped in the shower and washed off, counting his blessings that he’d already picked out what he was going to wear before he left. 

 

He threw his clothes on the second he was dry, counting his blessings that he wasn’t female and didn’t have to worry about makeup. Not that it stopped him from putting on some eyeliner--it was Jesse, after all. 

 

He was ruffling his hair, trying to do that ‘sexy, but not trying too hard’ hair that Dick taught him when someone knocked on the door. He took a deep breath. “You are not jumping in bed with him tonight,” he told his reflection. “He broke your heart. He only wants to get back together because he feels guilty you died.”

 

He knew that wasn’t  _ completely  _ true, but it was enough to keep his libido at bay. He strode towards the door and swung it open, and his heart stopped. Jesse was on the other side in dark jeans and a white button up, the sleeves rolled up past his elbows and the first button open. He looked like a character on the cover of a romance novel. Damn him. 

 

He smiled warmly. “Ready to go?” 

 

Barry nodded wordlessly, rushing out the door like an overeager dog. 

 

\----------

 

“...so then, Bullock decides that he’s going to just charge at Bane, just like that. No weapons or nothing.”

 

Barry laughed, picturing the surly, overweight detective trying to take on Bane singlehanded. “How long was he in the hospital?”

 

Jesse chuckled. “Thanks to your dad, no time at all. He threw a smoke bomb and tackled Harvey out of the way before he could get knocked around like a ragdoll.” 

 

“I bet he did not like that,” Barry said, twisting some noodles onto his chopsticks. They were at some hole in the wall Chinese restaurant, stealing each other’s food off their plates and acting like their world hadn’t fallen apart a year ago.  

 

“No, he did not,” Jesse agreed. “Gordon chewed him out for being stupid, of course, but you know Harvey. He’ll just do it again.”

 

“Like the time he thought that he could take on the Joker single handed and ended up suspended over a shark tank by his ankles?”

 

Jesse laughed. “He is a stubborn man, okay? He was around way before the Gotham crazies, and he’ll be damned if he can’t be a cop with them there.”

 

Their laughs faded to comfortable silence, and when Barry looked up from his food, Jesse was watching him with a dopey smile. “I missed you. Missed this.”

 

Barry smiled sadly. “Me too. If I had my way, we never would’ve stopped.”

 

“I was a real ass, wasn’t I?” 

 

Barry wanted to agree, but Jesse had those big, brown, puppy dog eyes that made him melt every time he looked into them. He sighed. “You weren’t the only one at fault. I should’ve been more open with you. A relationship built on lies is doomed from the start.”

 

He turned his gaze back to his food, but Jesse reached across the table to lay his hand on his. “Hey, not everything was a lie. Our feelings weren’t a lie. You think that just because I know about Thunderbird that I think everything else was some kind of act? No one can fake that, Barry.” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “Not even the son of Batman.” 

 

Barry stared into those eyes, the ones that reflected that old love, and felt something inside him spark.

 

_ No.  _ He thought.  _ Stay strong. You will not sleep with him. You will  _ not  _ sleep with him.  _

 

\----------

 

Barry stumbled back into his apartment, hands clutching at Jesse’s shoulders as he fell in after him. He was desperate for air, but he wasn’t ending the makeout session they started in the hallway now. 

 

Jesse pushed him against the wall of the entryway, grabbing Barry’s thigh to hitch around his waist. This was a bad idea. This was  _ such a bad idea _ , but god, he couldn’t stop himself. He wound his other leg around Jesse’s waist, reveling in how easily he held him up. 

 

Next thing Barry knew, he was being carried across the room and dropped on his sofa. Jesse planted himself on top of him, grinding down enough for Barry to throw his head back and moan. God, it had been way too long since he had sex. 

 

Jesse started kissing at his neck, pulling more groans and moans from his throat. He clutched at the back of Jesse’s shirt, like he could just yank it right off his body, and shuddered. “God...Jesse…”

 

“I know there are some things we’ll have to change since the incident,” he whispered in Barry’s ear. “But I’m glad you can still feel this.”

 

He ran a hand up Barry’s chest, brushing just enough against his nipple to catch his breath, and then slid it back down towards the waistband on his pants. His mind was screaming he needed to stop this now, but every nerve in his body was screaming  _ yes, please touch me.  _

 

Then, the hand stopped. Barry opened his eyes--he closed them? --and saw that Jesse was frowning at something behind him. “What?”

 

He didn’t seem worried or on edge, just confused and curious. “When did you get a gun? I thought you hated them.”

 

“I do,” he replied, sitting up enough to see the end table behind him. Sure enough, there was a handgun laying on it. “That’s...not mine.”

 

Jesse jumped up, going immediately into police mode. Barry rolled his eyes as he searched the kitchen and moved onto the bedroom. Like Barry couldn’t handle a home invader or something. He came back in a few minutes later and shook his head. 

 

“No one’s here, but your bedroom window was cracked open.”

 

Barry furrowed his brow. “So, someone climbed up the side of a building ten floors, broke into my apartment, and then left me a gun?” 

 

Jesse shrugged. “I don’t know, but you need to make sure you’re locking your windows. And maybe think about an alarm system.”

 

Barry rolled his eyes again. “I have one. It’s called ‘I was raised by Batman and kick anyone’s ass who tries to break in and attack me’.”

 

He could feel a fight starting between them--this is how they always started, with Jesse being overprotective and Barry being a bit of an asshole-- but they were saved by Barry’s phone, which started ringing.

 

Iris’ name popped up on the screen, and he answered it immediately. “Hey, what’s up?”

 

_ “You need to get down here,” _ Cisco said.  _ “Something happened.” _

 

Barry’s heart stopped. If Cisco was calling from Iris’ phone… “Is it Iris? Is she okay?”

 

_ “She’s fine, but Doctor Light shot her editor. It’s her ex-girlfriend’s doppelganger, and she tried to kill her and take her place. We have Light, but…” _

 

“Got it. Be there as soon as I can.” He hung up and turned to Jesse, who was still fuming from their almost fight. He couldn’t deal with that now, though. He ran over to grab his motorcycle keys off his desk. “I’ve gotta go. Something happened.”

 

The anger melted into concern. “Is everything okay? Do you need me to go with you?”

 

Barry shook his head. “No, it’s one of my friends. She was attacked by a meta and is kind of traumatized right now. I need to go be with her and the rest of the STAR Labs people.” 

 

Jesse nodded understandingly. “If you or her or anyone else needs something, don’t hesitate to call me, okay?”

 

Barry gave him a small smile. “I won’t,” he lied, before grabbing his bike helmet and red leather jacket and running out the door. 

 

\----------

 

He watched from the roof of the building next door. It was a good thing he left when he did. He could’ve been put in a very traumatizing situation. But, Barry had protection now for when he wasn’t watching, and that was the important part. 

 

If only he could protect his heart, he thought as Detective Jesse Reese longingly watched him leave. 

 

That was something Barry had to deal with himself. For now, he remained in the shadows, watching Barry take off on his bike towards STAR Labs. 

 

He was about to leave when he felt something--eyes on his back. Grabbing a handgun from his waistband, he turned and aimed...at an empty roof. He shook his head, berating himself for being so paranoid. No one knew he was there. Jesse Reese suspected, but even he didn’t have proof. 

 

And no one would find out until he wanted them to. He shot off his grappling hook and swung to the next rooftop, silently laughing at how the two people from Gotham didn’t even suspect that he’d gotten in by grappling  _ down  _ the building instead of climbing. 

 

Barry was losing his edge. Unfortunately, things were about to get a hell of a lot harder for him.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to know who you think Barry's stalker is and who you think robbed Wayne Enterprises and why. I just want to see if anyone has guessed it yet (though I haven't said much about the theft yet, so I forgive you if you get that wrong)


	10. Kill the Past

Iris and Linda were sitting in the cortex when Barry got there, the former comforting the latter. Linda seemed pretty shaken after watching her doppelganger gun down her boss. Poor thing. 

 

He approached Cisco. “What can I do to help?”

 

He grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to the computers. “I read that you helped in research and development at Wayne Enterprises.”

 

Barry frowned but nodded. “Yeah, it’s where I first started in the company. Lucius helped me out there, but I don’t know how that helps.” 

 

Cisco took a seat and pulled something up on the screen. It was a weapon he’d been developing for the Gotham City Police Department to stop White Knight, a dangerous vigilante that used light powers to kill any criminal that crossed his path. It disrupted his connection to the radiation his body produced, thus muting his powers long enough to capture him. 

 

Barry frowned. “That’s in the hands of the GCPD. Even I can’t get that back. We only made the one.”

 

“Do you have the plans?” Cisco asked. “I could remake it.”

 

Barry shook his head. “There was an incident last year at the archives with Firebug. We hadn’t updated to digital yet.”

 

“Is there any way you can get it? Anyone you know? Doctor Light is going to kill Linda.” 

 

Barry stared at Cisco, who was silently pleading with him. He sighed. “I can’t. But I know someone who can.”

 

He stepped to the side and pulled out his phone. His first instinct was to call Jesse, but there was no way he’d get to Gotham and back before Doctor Light made her move. It would take the Flash...or someone with a supersonic jet. 

 

Pushing away his pride, he hit one on his speed dial. The other line picked up almost immediately.  _ “Barry? Are you okay?” _

 

“I need a favor from Gordon,” he replied. “Remember the gun they used to take down White Knight?”

 

\----------

 

He stood on the rooftop of CCPD with Jesse, his cover for where he was getting the gun. Both watched the skies, prepared to see the Bat Plane appear above them. Well, Jesse was expecting to see it, anyway. Barry knew that Bruce would never fly the plane so close to a strange police department unless he was announcing his presence. No, Batman was more subtle than that. He barely heard the sound of feet landing behind them. 

 

Jesse didn’t hear them at all. “He knows you’re in a hurry, right?” he asked, glancing over at Barry, only to jump back with a yell, gun drawn. 

 

Barry tried not to laugh as he turned to face his adopted father in all his battiness. Literally. “Did you bring it?”

 

Batman pulled a weapon from under his cape. It favored one of those bionic ear devices PI use attached to a rifle, but Barry knew it was so much more than that. He’d invented it, after all. He accepted it with a tight smile. “Thanks.”

 

“Anything to help.” His eyes went to Jesse for a minute, and Barry scoffed. He was stupid. Of course his dad had sent Jesse to check on him. That’s why he was in Central. He and Jesse always got along really well when it came to Barry. Both disagreed with his life choices, and both knew all the right ways to piss him off. 

 

He chose to ignore it. For now. 

 

“How are you dealing with the break-in?” Bruce asked, breaking through Barry’s anger. 

 

Jesse frowned. “You told your dad about the gun?”

 

Barry closed his eyes and prayed for the strength not to send someone off the edge of the building. Preferably himself. “No, not that break-in. The one at Wayne Enterprises which I have under control. I’ve already enlisted help to find the missing weapons without getting the police involved.”

 

Bruce narrowed his eyes. “What other break-in?”

 

“Oh my god,” Barry groaned. “It was nothing. Nothing was missing. There’s a gun in my apartment I don’t own, and the window of my bedroom was cracked open. That’s it. Now that I think about it, I know someone who could’ve dropped it off for me. It’s not a big deal.”

 

But then, Barry saw something. Something in Bruce’s eyes that said he knew. He was scared and uncertain, but he knew something that Barry didn’t. 

 

“What?” he asked. “What are you keeping from me?”

 

He didn’t actually expect an answer, but it would’ve been nice. 

 

“Be careful,” Bruce warned instead. “And keep me updated on the Flash and what’s happening.”

 

“She’s not a danger to anyone, I’ve told you that,” Barry replied, pinching the bridge of his nose. “She just wants to help. If anything, it’s every other frickin’ meta in this city that’s the problem.” 

 

When he looked up, though, Bruce was gone. He sighed. “I really hate him sometimes.”

 

\----------

 

Jesse refused to leave Barry’s side once he found out that he was helping the Flash take down a supervillain. So, when the pair of them walked into STAR Labs with the gun, there was an outcry.

 

“Dude!” Cisco shouted. 

 

“Secret identities, Barry!” Caitlin said. 

 

Iris just threw her hands up. “Sure, why don’t we just tell  _ everyone  _ I’m the Flash?”

 

Barry shook his head. Jesse stared wide-eyed at Iris. “You’re the Flash?” He turned to Barry. “I thought you said you were helping the metahuman consultant for the CCPD, not the Flash.” 

 

All three froze, mouths wide open, and Barry raised an eyebrow. “Anyway, Jesse works for GCPD and pulled some strings to get us this.” He held the gun out to Cisco, who nodded. 

 

“Right. Sorry, dude.” He accepted it and sat it on the desk. The second he touched it, however, he froze, his eyes going blank. Barry frowned. 

 

“Cisco? You okay?” 

 

His eyes cleared, and he stepped back, away from Barry. “You have to be there with the gun,” he said, handing it over. “She’s at the train station, trying to escape. Without you and the gun, we’ll catch her, but we won’t stop her.”

 

Jesse furrowed his brow. “Is...is this normal for him?”

 

Barry shook his head, but Harry Wells decided it was the perfect moment to make himself known. 

 

“He’s a meta.” They turned to see him leaning in the doorway. He held up his watch. “This detects metahumans, and the second I got near Ramon, it went off. I’m assuming that, when he touches people and things, he gets a glimpse of them in the past, present, or future.” 

 

Iris turned to Cisco with a betrayed expression. “You were a meta, and you never told me, of all people?”

 

Cisco averted his eyes, and Barry sighed. “Look, we can all discuss this later, okay? Right now, we need to catch Doctor Light. Cisco, what other information do you have?”

 

“She’s wearing a black trenchcoat, and she’s taking the next train out of town. But, we have to get her with this gun and neutralize her powers, or she’ll use them to escape once we lock her up.”

 

Barry nodded. “Okay. Iris, let’s go.” 

 

In a tornado of lightning, she threw on the suit and grabbed Barry. Traveling by speedster was like nothing Barry ever experienced. He thought that riding his motorcycle was exhilarating. It was nothing compared to the force and speed of Iris’ powers. He could only imagine what it felt like for her--all that power coursing through her, the urge to run vibrating through her body. 

 

She dropped him off behind one of the trains. “Stay here until I wear her down. When you get a clear shot, take it.”

 

He gave a quick nod, and she darted into the crowd. “Everyone get out of here!” she called. The platform started to clear. 

 

“Why can’t you just leave me alone?” Doctor Light demanded. 

 

Iris responded, but Barry was running along the back of the train, hopping on the connectors to see better. He cursed. He wasn’t going to be able to get her without her seeing him. The weapon took too long to warm up. But…

 

He looked up at the top of the train and grinned. That would do. 

 

While Iris fought and dodged blasts from Doctor Light, he climbed up the ladder to the roof of the train, laid out on his stomach, and waited for his shot. Iris started to vibrate, creating duplicates of herself as she moved and confused Doctor Light. 

 

That’s when the villain got fed up. Summoning all her power, Doctor Light struck the ground, ridding the platform of all the duplicates and knocking Iris to the ground. 

 

_ Now or never _ , he told himself, tearing off his leather jacket. He aimed the gun, activated it, and fired. A beam of light shot out of the end, and Linda-2 turned at the sound. The beam struck her chest, and she lashed out with one hand, firing a ball of light at Barry. 

 

It struck his shoulder, but Barry continued firing. She dropped to her knees, eyes rolling back until she collapsed on the ground. 

 

Barry shut down the weapon. Iris smiled up at him, and he gave her a thumbs up. 

 

\----------

 

Iris sped Linda-2 into a cell in the pipeline, while Barry walked into the cortex, greeted by Jesse and Team Flash. Jay pat Barry on the back, commending him on his shot. Harry gave him a nod. Cisco and Caitlin asked after Iris, who Barry told would be coming in soon. 

 

Jesse nodded for him to follow him out into the hall. He groaned internally, knowing there was a lecture or something behind this. When they were out of earshot, Jesse tore Barry’s jacket off. There was a hole in his shirt, and underneath, a deep burn that would’ve made anyone else pass out. 

 

Barry didn’t even know Doctor Light burned him. 

 

Jesse shook his head. “You need to get that looked at. God, Barry, this is why you don’t need to be out there. You didn’t even know you were hurt.”

 

“It’ll be healed tomorrow anyway,” Barry reminded him. “Positives.” 

 

Jesse growled. “That’s not the point, Barry. What if you get stabbed and bleed out because you don’t know you’re hurt? You don’t need to be facing this stuff.”

 

“This ‘stuff’,” Barry reminded him, “is what I was raised on. My entire life is surrounded by it. I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit in a plastic bubble while the people I love put themselves at risk.”

 

“You’ve never fought anyone with this, though. Since we injected you with that...whatever…to save your life, your entire makeup is different.”

 

“It’s called ‘electrum’,” Barry replied, “and I know. You think I like that I can’t feel pain? Sometimes, that was the only thing that reminded me I was still alive. You think that I want whatever this stuff did to me? I wish you and my dad had just let me die. But no, you made that choice  _ for  _ me, and now you don’t want to deal with the consequences of it.”

 

He pulled out of Jesse’s grip and snatched his jacket from his hands. “I’m going to tell you this once--find your criminal and  _ go home _ . I don’t want you here, and I don’t need you spying on me for my father.”

 

With that, he stormed back to the cortex, praying that Jesse did as he asked.


	11. Enter Zoom

Jay and Harry were at it again, screaming in one another’s faces. Barry and Iris sat beside each other at one of the computer desks, leaning on their elbows, playing a game of Speed. The two men were arguing about Zoom and using Doctor Light as bait to draw him out. She was sitting powerless in the pipeline, groaning about Zoom killing her or something. 

 

Barry would have more sympathy if she hadn’t tried to kill Iris. 

 

He glanced over at the pair. He didn’t like Harry--he was brash, prickly, and rude--but he had a feeling that, deep down, he wanted to do the right thing. Jay, on the other hand, reminded him of so many people he’d met in Gotham--they wore masks of kindness and concern, but all they cared about was their goals. He just didn’t know what Jay’s goals were, and until he did, he didn’t know if they could trust him or not. 

 

“Speed!” He jumped as Iris slammed her hand on the table, announcing her win.

 

He groaned. “How do you keep winning?”

 

“I’m just that good.” Iris shrugged. She grabbed the deck and started shuffling again. “So...that cop you were with. That wouldn’t happen to be the ex that Caitlin told us about, is it?”

 

Barry snorted. “Unfortunately.”

 

She frowned. “That was cold. From what I heard, you two went out on a date.”

 

“Yeah, that was before I found out that my dad sent him to spy on me, and he just wants to get back together with me because he feels guilty about an accident I was in a few months ago.”

 

Iris shook her head. “If it makes you feel better, my love life hasn’t been much better. My last boyfriend, who loved me more than I loved him, shot himself to save me and is still in a coma, and the guy that I fell in love with decided to run off and play house with another girl, after saying that the only girl he’d want to be with was me.”

 

“What a dirtbag.”

 

“Right?” 

 

“You know what,” Barry said, “we both deserve better. You deserve to be with a great guy that thinks you hang the stars in the sky and knows he’s lucky to be with Iris West.”

 

She raised an eyebrow. “Got anyone in mind?”

 

About that time, Cisco strolled into the room, Caitlin on his heels, blushing. “Attention everyone!” he called. “I have an announcement: Caitlin Snow has a date!”

 

She swatted at him, but Cisco just laughed. Iris and Barry applauded. “You finally asked out that barista?” Barry asked. Her blush darkened. 

 

“Actually, Miss Kendra Saunders asked  _ her  _ out,” Cisco said. “Caitlin just stood there, gaping like a fish.” 

 

“Congratulations, Caitlin,” Jay said, a pleasant smile on his face. 

 

Harry rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes. Congratulations. As Zoom is killing us all, we’ll all be comforted by the thought that Snow has a date.”

 

Jay rounded on Harry, and Barry knew they were about to start their argument again. “Before we start yelling again,” he said quickly, “why don’t we all discuss this like Team Flash instead of like we’re trying to start a riot or something?”

 

Jay and Harry shared another disgusted look before stepping away from one another, Harry moving over to stand near Iris and Barry and Jay standing by the med lab. 

 

He turned to Iris. “This is your team. What do you think we should do?”

 

Iris bit her lip and rose to her feet, arms crossed over her chest. “Jay makes a good point about Zoom. We don’t really know anything about him, and I don’t know if we’re ready.” Jay smiled smugly. “ _ However _ , Harry also makes a good point. Can we wait until we’re completely ready? Or will more people die if we do?”

 

She looked at Harry. “Do you think we can do this?”

 

Harry looked to Barry, and he could tell he was thinking about the conversation they had. “We should take precautions, but I don’t think we’ll be able to catch him by surprise like this again. This might be our only chance to stop him.”

 

She looked to Cisco and Caitlin. “What do you think?”

 

Caitlin nodded. “Whatever you choose, I’m here.”

 

“All the way, girl,” Cisco said, a small smile on his lips. 

 

She looked to Barry, who shrugged. “If you think it’s best. We can’t go in half-cocked, though. We need a plan.” 

 

Jay looked them all over with disbelief. After a second, he scoffed and shook his head. “If you all want to send Iris to her death, that’s on you. I’m not having any part of this.” He stormed out, glaring behind him as he turned the corner, though Barry was the only one to see. 

 

\----------

 

The plan was simple. They made a deal with Linda-2. With the light gun still in their possession, they could return her powers and send her back to Earth-2 without a word of what happened on their Earth. All they wanted was Zoom. 

 

She agreed, knowing there was no other way of escaping--though it didn’t stop her from trying when they first opened the cell door. Luckily, Barry was standing in the hall and clotheslined her before she got too far. It was a good try, he gave her props. 

 

When Joe came by the lab for his part of the plan, Barry excused himself to head to his apartment and “check his alarm”--code for “avoid Joe”. He’d been so eager to tell Iris who he was, but after King Shark, he wondered if maybe it was a sign. Maybe the Wests should keep eleven-year-old Barry as the image in their heads, instead of the cold, broken person he became. 

 

God, now he was starting to sound like Bruce. He shook the broodiness from his head as he stepped inside. His job was to stay behind at STAR while Joe and Harry went with Iris and Linda-2. Linda-2 would pretend like she’d killed Iris, Zoom would come out, they would nail him with speed slowing darts, and wham-bam-thank you, ma’am, they would have one less evil speedster in the multiverse. 

 

He blew out a breath and leaned against the door. Tears from his confrontation with Jesse were threatening to spill. He hadn’t meant to come across that cruel, but he was sick and tired of being treated like he was a child or some innocent lamb that needed protecting. That kind of attitude did more harm than good.

 

He forced himself to walk away from the door, checking his windows as he passed to make sure that they were all shut. He didn’t want Jesse to know, but the fact that someone had been in his apartment had shaken him more than he cared to admit. The gun was in his bedside table drawer, but whoever was inside could’ve been there for hours, looked through all his things, anything really. 

 

He grabbed the light gun from where he’d stashed it in his closet for safe keeping. If they were keeping their end of the deal, they’d need it. As he turned to leave, his eyes caught something. The Duffel, tucked under his bed now, was peeking out slightly. 

 

Barry gnawed his lip. He probably wasn’t going to need anything--hell, if the plan went right, he wouldn’t be anywhere near the fight. Deep down, though, he knew things more often than not didn’t go according to plan. 

 

He left his apartment, making sure the alarm was activated. The Duffel was tucked under one arm. 

 

\----------

 

He got back to STAR Labs right after Harry and Joe left to get set up. Iris would be bringing Linda-2, and they would put on a show in front of the breach to Earth-2 so that Zoom thought she killed the Flash. 

 

Parking his bike, he stuffed the duffel into the compartment under his seat before heading upstairs. Jay hadn’t come back, which didn’t surprise Barry. Harry had said he was a coward, after all. 

 

When he walked into the cortex, Iris and Linda-2 were waiting with Caitlin and Cisco. “You got the gun?” Iris asked, knowing he did. 

 

He nodded. “It’s tucked away safe until Doctor Light holds up her end of the deal.”

 

Cisco handed Linda-2 a gun. “This has blanks in it only. You’ll pretend to shoot Iris and kill her. Don’t try anything.” 

 

She rolled her eyes but accepted it. “Why would I? At this point, I’m as dead as all of you if we fail.” 

 

Iris nodded in agreement, preparing to flash away. “Iris,” Cisco said quickly, making her stop, “just...don’t take any chances? We don’t want to lose our Flash.” 

 

A tiny smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. “I don’t plan on dying today.” With that, she sped out of the labs. They all turned to the screens as Cisco prepared to change the view from outside cameras to the iron mill Linda-2 told them the breach was at when he paused. 

 

“What the hell--?” 

 

Barry lunged for the mic, but it was too late. A dark shape surrounded by blue lightning collided with the streak that was the Flash, knocking her and Linda-2 to the ground. 

 

“He knew our plan,” Cisco whispered. “How in the hell did he know?” 

 

“What the hell is that thing?” Barry asked. The thing that hit them couldn’t be human. It looked like some kind of demon wrapped in blue lightning. It stalked closer to Iris and Linda-2, who were still getting their bearings after being knocked out of the Speed Force. 

 

Linda-2 was the first to notice what was coming. “No...no, please!” Barry turned his head, not wanting to see what the monster did to her, what he’d allowed for by taking away her only means of defense. When he turned back, Iris was staring at Doctor Light’s motionless body, fury on her face as she pushed to her feet. She squared off against Zoom. 

 

He had to respect Iris. She wasn’t scared, just angry. She shot off in a fury of lightning.

 

He didn’t blame her for running away, but somehow, he didn’t think she was trying to escape. “What’s she doing?”

 

Iris continued running, building up more and more lightning. “She’s going to throw a bolt at him,” Caitlin explained. “Jay taught her how to throw lightning.”

 

Zoom didn’t even move, made no motion to catch up with her or stop her. Something rotten settled in Barry’s stomach. 

 

“She’s playing into his hands,” he realized. “He wants her to throw it.” He reached over Cisco and slammed his hand on the mic button. “Iris, don’t!”

 

But it was too late. Yellow lightning arced off her body as she threw her arms at the villain, a bright bolt heading right for him. Zoom finally moved, but when he did, all Barry saw was a flash of blue lightning and the bolt was sent back at Iris. It struck her in the chest, throwing her back to hit the STAR Labs sign.

 

Cisco headed out into the med lab, grabbing one of their dart guns. Caitlin was shaking, probably having flashbacks to Ronnie and Eddie and everyone else they’d lost. Barry stayed glued to the monitor. Iris led Zoom up the side of the building, into the air for a free fall.

 

“That’s my girl!” Cisco cried out. “Genius!” 

 

But Barry could see it all happening. With Zoom’s hand to hand abilities, Iris didn’t stand a chance. He was out to kill. 

 

Iris was going to die. 

 

He made his decision in a split second. “Cisco, go help Iris,” he said, running out the door. “Caitlin, prepare the med lab--I think we’ll need it. I’m going to call Harry and Joe and get them to come back.” He didn’t bother checking to see if anyone listened. He ran for the garage, knowing he was about to do something he’d been wanting to do for months. 

 

\----------

 

She thought she had him. After Thawne, she promised herself no other speedster would best her again and hurt the ones she cared about. As Iris was starting to find out, however, Zoom was more sadistic than they’d believed. 

 

He grabbed her as they fell through the air, cackling darkly as he used her body to cushion his impact to the ground. Pain shot through her limbs and the air was knocked from her lungs. Zoom grabbed her by the front of her suit and dragged her to her feet, and she knew the fight was over before she even had a chance to defend herself. His jabs were faster than even she could catch, though she felt every single one strike her body. 

 

Finally, something struck her lower back. The crack echoed through the quiet parking lot. She screamed, pain filling her like she’d never felt before. Her back was broken. She couldn’t fight. She couldn’t move. She fell to the ground, face first. 

 

She heard a dart gun fire, but Zoom turned just in time to catch it. A tear ran down her cheek. She felt useless, utterly useless. A hero that can’t even protect herself. Zoom raised his fist, and all Iris could hope for was that the pain would knock her out.

 

Zoom stopped. For a second, Iris thought he was playing with her, until something struck his hand, causing the speedster to sound in pain. She looked in the direction of the projectile. A hooded figure was stepping out of the shadows and into the lit parking lot. 

 

Her first thought was that Oliver had come. He was there, right there where she always hoped he’d be. 

 

Then, she noticed the cape fluttering behind the figure. Instead of green, the newcomer was dressed in all black. There was a hood over his head a mask over his eyes and gauntlets on each arm. On his chest was an emblem of a yellow bird, surrounded by red lightning. 

 

This wasn’t Oliver. This was someone else. Someone new.  

 

Zoom turned to the newcomer and tilted his head, taking him in as well. The masked man stared the villain down, eyes narrowed. 

 

Without warning, Zoom shot off after him. The masked man seemed to know it was coming, though, because he dove out of the way. Something shot out of one of the gauntlets and wrapped around the speedster’s ankle, knocking him to the ground. The man rolled to his feet and the whip from the gauntlet released, and short blades shot out in their place. 

 

Zoom didn’t use his speed this time. He lunged forward, fighting hand to hand with the masked man. Credit given, the newcomer held his own. He ducked and wove through Zoom’s attacks while slashing and stabbing right back at him. 

 

“Ramon!” the masked man called, his voice distorted through a modulator. “Get her out of here!” 

 

The next thing Iris knew, she was being scooped into Cisco’s arms and carried into the building. The last thing she saw of the masked man, he was ducking a slash from Zoom. 

 

\----------

 

Barry blew out a breath of relief once the doors closed behind Cisco and Iris. Sure, Zoom could probably go after them if he wanted to, but he’d already made his point to Iris and all of Team Flash. He was faster and better. 

 

He activated the taser in his glove and grabbed Zoom by the face, stunning him long enough to wheel kick him down. He didn’t expect Zoom to swipe his leg out from under him before he could steady himself. He rolled away, and both climbed to their feet. He needed to finish this now.

 

He threw one of his knives in an attempt to distract the speedster so he could make his own escape. He couldn’t surprise Zoom with the same trick twice, though. 

 

The speedster caught it and threw it back with so much speed, it knocked Barry back. He wasn’t sure where it ended up, but it didn’t matter. Zoom was on him in seconds, grabbing him by the arm and twisting it back. He thought he heard a snap, but if Zoom was waiting for any sign of the pain he thought he was inflicting, he was sorely mistaken. 

 

Instead, he got a roundhouse kick to the side of the head, knocking him away from Barry. He prepared for another strike, but instead, the speedster just...stared. Barry frowned and took a step back. Zoom didn’t move. He took another. Still, nothing. 

 

Barry turned and ran for his cycle. Zoom disappeared in a flash of blue lightning, but he didn’t show up anywhere between Barry and his escape. He knew, deep down, that wasn’t a good sign, but he couldn’t think about that. At the moment, he needed to get his arm fixed by someone who knew who he was, someone who wouldn’t judge him for what he’d just done. 

 

And he knew just the place. 

  
  
  
  



	12. Barry and Len

Len had been hitting the streets hard, keeping his ear to the pavement for any word on Gotham weapons or a break-in at Wayne Enterprises. He even hit up his father’s old crime buddies. So far, he had nothing.

 

He came back to Safehouse number five, the safe house closest to the CCPD--making it easier to keep an eye on comings and goings--angry and discouraged. He was ready to throw back a couple of beers and maybe plan a heist to get his mind off things when he noticed his door had been unlocked. There were boots by the door that weren’t his. He focused his hearing and yep, someone was moving around in his safehouse. He powered up his cold gun. Whoever thought it was a good idea to break into Captain Cold’s apartment was about to be in for a rude awakening.

 

The sounds came from the hall bathroom--clattering and cursing mostly. He frowned--maybe some junkie looking for a fix? He approached slowly, hand tightening around the handle of his gun.

 

Pausing outside the bathroom door, he set his gun on its lowest setting--enough to stop someone, but not enough to kill them. Then, he threw himself around the corner, gun raised, ready to demand answers for the intrusion…

 

Barry Wayne was standing shirtless in his bathroom, a roll of medical tape between his teeth while he pressed a piece of gauze to a huge slash across his stomach. One of his arms was limp. A knife was sticking out of his side where he probably didn’t even see it. There were scratches and bruises covering his torso, not to mention the shiner he was sporting.

 

When he saw Len, he smiled sheepishly. “‘his in’t vhat it ooks ike,” he said around the tape.

 

Len lowered the gun and shook his head. He couldn’t wait to hear _this_ story.

 

\----------

 

They ended up sitting on the sofa, Barry on a towel to keep blood from going everywhere. Len was stitching up the gash in his stomach the way he’d been taught after Mick got in far too many fights. Barry didn’t flinch once, didn’t show any sign that there was anything wrong.

 

“So,” Len said, tying off the thread and breaking it with his teeth, “you gonna tell me how this happened?”

 

Barry lowered his eyes in shame, and Len knew. He’d put on the Thunderbird suit. “Did you have to do it?”

 

Barry frowned, eyes darting back up. “Do what?”

 

“Put the suit back on. Break whatever stupid rule was keeping you from doing what you love.” He eyed the knife in Barry’s side. Whoever stabbed him had a hell of a lot of strength. It was in so deep, part of the handle was in his side. It was gonna hurt like hell to get out.

 

He decided to look at some of the other scratches first. As he grabbed some gauze off the coffee table and poured rubbing alcohol on it, Barry sighed. “There was a speedster--a really bad one. He was going to kill Iris. He already broke her back like it was nothing. I couldn’t stand by and watch someone else I love die when there was something I could do about it.”

 

A frown pulled at Len’s lips as he hyper-focused on Barry’s injuries. Of course Barry was in love with Iris West. Hell, everyone was in love with her. “You really care about her, don’t you?”

 

Barry laughed humorlessly. “More than she knows. Iris West was the first person who ever believed in me. After…”

 

He went silent, and when Len looked up, there were old, unshed tears in Barry’s eyes. He sighed. “After your mother was murdered?”

 

Barry’s eyes widened. Len just shrugged. “I knew you didn’t just pull the name ‘Allen’ out of thin air. So, I did some digging. Barry Allen--mother was murdered when you were eleven. Your father was arrested, despite your claims he was innocent. The detective on the case, Iris’ father, tried to adopt you, but it fell through and you were put into the system. You went from foster home to foster home until you ended up in Gotham. That’s when Bruce Wayne adopted you, wasn’t it?”

 

Barry nodded, a single tear dripping down his face. “Iris was the only person who believed me, that there was a man in red lightning in my house. He killed my mom. Everyone thought I was lying--even my dad eventually stopped defending me, plead guilty and denied me visitation at Iron Heights.”

 

Realization hit Len. Barry wasn’t in love with Iris. Maybe he had been a long time ago, but now, she was a lifeline for him. A twinkle of light when it felt like everything was swallowed by the dark. “How long has it been since you saw your dad?”

 

He sighed, doing the math in his head. “Eleven years. The last time I saw him, he told me that I wasn’t allowed to come see him anymore, that I needed to grow up and realize the truth about what happened that night. Now that I’m older, I know he did it because I wouldn’t have let Bruce adopt me otherwise, and he thought that was my best chance.”

 

“Doesn’t stop the pain, though, does it?”

 

He shook his head. “He was the first person I loved who gave up on me. It’s just been a tidal wave of that ever since, and anyone who doesn’t just gets pulled into the darkness with me.”

 

Len took sat down the gauze and took Barry by the hand. “You aren’t darkness, Barry. You’re the brightest light I’ve ever seen. You love and care so deeply, even people who don’t deserve it. Just because you were raised in the dark doesn’t mean that’s all you are. We all have a little bit of lightness and darkness in us. Sometimes, we need the light when the darkness becomes too much, but sometimes, we need the darkness to help us make the hard decisions in life, the ones that will protect the other lights in our lives. That doesn’t make it bad. It’s a part of you that should be celebrated because, without it, no one can survive. And you’re a survivor, Barry.”

 

He raised a hand to brush Barry’s tears away. “Now, I’ve been avoiding this, but there is a knife pretty deep in your side that I’m gonna have to pull.”

 

Barry frowned. “What?” He arched his neck to look at his side and pursed his lips. “Oh, what do you know.”

 

Len nodded. “Yep. So, I’m gonna pull it as slowly as I can, but it’s gonna hurt like hell. Do you need anything to drink for the pain?”

 

“Just yank it out,” he replied, rolling his eyes. “Trust me, I’ll be fine.”

 

Len cursed Barry silently for being so reckless and stupid. He didn’t want to hurt him, and there was a good chance that it nicked something inside. He might have to call Shawna Baez or one of the mob doctors he knew to take a look. He grabbed a rag off the table and, carefully as he could, grabbed the handle of the dagger. “You ready?”

 

“Just yank it,” Barry repeated.

 

He sighed, preparing himself. “Alright. One...two…” He pulled the dagger out as hard as he could, grabbing gauze to quickly plug the bleeding.

 

Barry didn’t flinch, jerk, yell, or even blink. Instead, he’d just watched Len with a bored expression. He couldn’t believe what he’d just seen. “You didn’t even feel that, did you?”

 

Barry shook his head.

 

“Or the stitches, or alcohol, or any of this?”

 

He shook his head again.

 

“You don’t feel physical pain at all.” It wasn’t a question, but Barry nodded anyway. “Have you always been like this?”

 

Barry sighed. “No. About...god, it’s almost been a year now. Back when I was in Gotham, anyway, I was on a bad path. I wanted to avenge my brother, get justice for Jason after what the Joker did. I wanted him dead. It was about three months after Jesse, my fiancé, broke up with me. I threw myself into that goal, not caring what came out on the other side. Some bad people called the Court of Owls found out about me. They decided to try and make me their weapon by manipulating my anger. I almost fell for it, but I couldn’t pass their test. I _wouldn’t._ So, they had one of their weapons kill me.

 

“I was dead for over an hour,” he continued, eyes so far away, Len knew he was reliving it all. “I barely remember anything, and when I do, it’s only when I’m dreaming. When I woke up, though, I was in the Bat Cave. Jesse and my dad were there, and they told me what they’d done--they used this thing called electrum. It's what made those people weapons. It brought me back to life, but it also took things away. I can’t feel pain. I can’t stand the cold. I’m pretty sure that my aging slowed down, but I would need to continue using it to stop aging completely. The worst part, though, is that I want more. When I woke up, I felt so powerful, like I could take on the whole world by myself. I still feel stronger, faster, and less vulnerable than I ever did before.”

 

He looked to Len, a solemn expression on his face. “But I am no one’s weapon. I’m not a Talon. I’m Barry. I’m not giving who I am for power. That’s a trade I’m not willing to make.”

 

It took a while for all of that to settle. He’d heard of the Court of Owls--it was an old Gotham nursery rhyme--but he’d never believed in them. He believed Barry though. “Electrum...that was one of the things stolen from the Wayne vault, wasn’t it?”

 

Barry nodded. “Whoever robbed it knew exactly what they were looking for. Mixing those weapons together could take down this whole city in a way the Flash couldn’t even stop.”

 

Len squeezed Barry’s hand and gave a reassuring smile. “We’re gonna find them before that happens, alright? I have every person that owes me a favor keeping an ear to the ground, listening out for someone selling Gotham weapons. If there’s a lead, they’ll find it and then you and I will take care of it.”

 

He picked up Barry’s hand and kissed the palm. “You’re going to be okay. I promise.” He wanted to do more--lean in and kiss him right, run his fingers through his thick hair, grab a little bit of that light he so effortlessly emanated. He didn’t do any of those things though. Instead, he taped gauze over Barry’s wounds.

 

“I’m assuming there’s some kind of healing thing that goes along with all this, considering you don’t seem even a little worried about internal bleeding.”

 

Barry laughed, which Len thought was one of the most beautiful sounds he’d ever heard. “Yeah, by tomorrow, I should be mostly healed up. There might be some bruises or scars, but I’ll find an excuse for those.”

 

“And your arm?”

 

Barry looked at it like he’d completely forgotten anything was wrong with it. “Oh yeah. I don’t think it’s broken, ‘cuz I can move my elbow and everything.”

 

“Your shoulder’s probably dislocated,” Len pointed out. He moved to stand up so he could help Barry fix it, but instead, Barry just used the heel of his other hand and, with one swift, hard hit, knocked the joint back in place. Len had seen a lot of disturbing things in his life, but that made him a little nauseous.

 

Barry just laughed again, this time at his expense, but Len couldn’t find it in himself to be upset. “Alright, macho man. Even super soldiers need rest. You can take my bed and rest up. I have a t-shirt and sweatpants that are too small for me in the bottom drawer of my dresser.”

 

Barry opened his mouth like he was going to argue, but a yawn came out instead.

 

“You’ve had a rough day,” Len told him, standing and helping Barry to his feet. “Take care of yourself. Go lay down and get a few hours of sleep.”

 

Barry sighed but obeyed, heading into the bedroom with one last small smile back at Len. “Thanks,” he whispered, before slipping inside.

 

Len shook his head, berating himself for getting in so deep with a frickin’ vigilante. Somehow, he couldn’t be too angry at himself, though. He cleaned up the medical supplies and sat on his sofa, cold gun in his lap, more a sentry than anything. He didn’t think that Zoom or whatever he was called would come back for Barry, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

 

Once he heard soft snores coming from the bedroom, he grabbed his cell off the coffee table and dialed a seldom-used number.

 

_“Hello?”_

 

“Ramon. It’s Cold.”

 

_“What the hell, man? Don’t tell me you need the Flash for something else, because she’s in no shape…”_

 

“Cool down, Cisco. I heard all about it. I’m calling to let you know I found one of your friends crashed on the side of the road. He was in a hurry on his bike and hit a pothole too hard. Flipped right off into the street. He’s lucky I had business in the area.”

 

_“You have Barry with you? Is he okay? I know he was trying to get Harry and Joe…”_

 

“He’s fine,” Len assured. “A little banged up, but I gave him a patch job and he’s resting here. I called because I didn’t want the Flash to worry about anything more than she already is.”

 

Cisco blew out a relieved breath. _“I hate saying this, but thank you. He doesn’t really have anyone else in the city to worry about him, and I thought…”_

 

Thought the worst. Len understood that. “How’s the Flash? Barry said he didn’t see the whole thing, but Zoom had the upper hand when he left.”

 

_“She’s...she’s not good. Don’t tell Barry yet, because I don’t want him freaking, but Iris can’t walk.”_

 

Len’s heart froze. “What?”

 

_“Zoom broke her back, and she’s paralyzed from the waist down. She should heal up soon, but we don’t know if even meta healing can fix this.”_

 

He must have been really distraught to be opening up to Len, but he knew all about Cisco’s feelings towards Iris. Everyone knew, really. Cisco was a hero in his own right, though, and Len knew he didn’t want to break down in front of Iris. He wanted to be her rock.

 

“It’s gonna be okay, kid,” Len assured. “Iris is a tough cookie. She’ll pull through and be back on her feet in no time. Promise.”

 

 _“A promise from Captain Cold. That’s comforting,”_ Cisco grumbled, but the weariness was gone from his voice, and Len smiled.

 

“See ya around, Cisco.” He hung up the phone and sat it back on the table before settling back on the couch. After an hour or so, his eyelids started to get heavy. He felt himself drifting to sleep, his sight growing blurrier as he stared at the infomercials playing on his television. For a split second, right before he finally gave in to sleep, he thought he saw something.

 

There was a window right behind the TV, with an unobstructed view of the rooftop next door. For a second, just a second, he thought there was someone standing there. Someone wearing a red helmet. But even in Central City, that was crazy. Finally, he gave in and drifted to sleep.

 

\----------

 

Leonard Snart’s safehouse was a lot easier to break into than one would expect. Though Snart was used to Central City criminals and law enforcement. When you were from Gotham, things were different.

 

He slipped inside, shutting the door behind him as quietly as possible. Snart was asleep on the couch, his weapon still clutched in his hand. He respected Snart and how much he seemed to care about Barry.

 

He crept through the living room and slid into the bedroom through the cracked open door. When he saw Barry, he stopped. He was curled up on the bed, clutching the pillow the same way he used to clutch the ratty stuffed dog Grayson won him at the carnival.

 

What had he called that ugly thing again? Barkimedes?

 

He shook his head and resisted the urge to laugh. Barry was still that same lonely kid. It broke his heart because, deep down, it was his fault. He’d left him when he promised he’d always be there. Removing his helmet, he sat on the edge of the bed and watched Barry sleep.

 

He wasn’t there to protect Barry from the Court. He wasn’t there to tell him everything was going to be okay. But he was there now, even if Barry didn’t know it.

 

For a second, Barry’s eyes drifted open, and, in his sleepy haze, he frowned. “Jason?”

 

Jason Todd smiled warmly. “You’re dreaming, Bare. Go back to sleep.”

 

He obeyed, slipping back into his dreams. Jason thought he heard a small whisper of, “I miss you,” but he had to push that away. It wasn’t time for him to know the truth yet. Too many people were on his trail after what just went down in Gotham--Detective Reese, Black Mask, even Bruce. He couldn’t drag Barry into it until things calmed.

 

Reluctantly, he tore himself away from his brother’s sleeping form, put his helmet back on, and slipped back out of the safe house again. He thought he felt those eyes on him again, but there was no one.

 

He was getting paranoid. This wasn’t Gotham--there weren’t monsters hiding in the shadows. Only the ones they brought with them.


	13. Aftermath

_ Beware the Court of Owls, that watches all the time _

_Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch,_ _behind granite and lime._

 _They watch you at your hearth,_ _they watch you in your bed._

 _Speak not a whispered word about them,_ _or they'll send the Talon for your head._

 

He was walking through the stone corridor, feeling as though he was a gladiator striding to his death in an arena. The rhyme echoed off the walls, faceless voices repeating it again and again.

 

There was a whisper behind him. “Don’t worry,” it said. “They will make you powerful enough to get your revenge. All you have to do is pass this test to prove your loyalty.”

 

Barry looked down. There was a sword in his hand, sharpened and glinting in the light. He continued his walk into the grand arena. The Parliament of Owls watched him eagerly as he stepped into the center of the room. There was a figure kneeling there, arms chained behind him and a hood thrown over his head. 

 

He stopped beside him, turning to the Judge, who rose to his feet. He motioned to the man, then made a slicing motion across his throat. Barry raised his sword and turned to his victim. All he needed to do was prove himself, and he could get his revenge. He reached down and removed the hood, only to stumble back at the face beneath. 

 

Icy blue eyes met his, and all he could think was that it was impossible. He couldn’t be there. Len wasn’t in Gotham. 

 

“Do it,” Talon hissed in his ear. “Kill him, or forsake your own life.”

 

He hesitated, Len’s eyes locked on him. Then, a sword sliced through his body, exploding from his chest while Talon wrapped one arm around his throat.

 

\----------

 

Barry shot up from his bed, panting and in a cold sweat. It was an all too familiar dream, the face under the hood changing every time. Sometimes, it was Jesse or Jason or Dick or his dad. Once, it was his mother, begging him the same way she’d begged her own killer. Each time, it ended the same. 

 

He took a deep breath, calming his nerves. He looked around, confused about where he was. Then he remembered Zoom and coming to Len, their talk the night before. No wonder he’d had that dream. He glanced over at the clock on the side table. 

 

4:35 am. 

 

Whelp, he knew he wasn’t going to back to sleep anytime soon, not with that in his head. Groaning, he rose from his bed, only to fall straight down to the floor into a push-up. 

 

\----------

 

Len hadn’t meant to fall asleep. He was supposed to be up protecting Barry. He heard a repetitive grunting sound and jerked awake, cursing himself. When he turned towards the bedroom to make sure Barry was okay, his jaw dropped. 

 

Barry was hanging from the doorframe by his hands, using it to do pull-ups. He’d taken off his shirt, and Len could see that he wasn’t wrong. There were still places where you could tell he’d been injured, but it had healed exponentially overnight. 

 

He enjoyed the show for a minute before climbing to his feet and stretching the kinks out of his back. “Morning.”

 

Barry dropped to the floor and turned to smile at him. “Good morning. Thanks for, y’know, everything.”

 

“Anything for my favorite Gotham vigilante.” He padded into the kitchen, only to find coffee already in the pot. He poured himself a mug. “Hungry? I make a good omelet.” 

 

“Nah, I gotta get back to STAR Labs. They’re probably worried sick.”

 

Len snorted. “You may not think ahead, kid, but I do. I called Ramon last night and told him you were in an accident on your way to get help. Should explain any injuries and your disappearance. Probably wouldn’t hurt for you to fake some pains for a few days.” 

 

He looked over his shoulder to see Barry leaning against the entryway into the kitchen. “You really did that for me?”

 

Len shrugged. “I like the idea of having my own private vigilante, since I’m assuming you aren’t telling your friends the truth.”

 

Barry’s eyes widened at the very thought. “God, no. I have one rule--never tell anyone my identity. Being Bruce Wayne’s son, it wouldn’t be a hard jump to say that Bruce Wayne was Batman or Dick Grayson was Nightwing. It puts a lot of people in danger.”

 

A smirk grew on Len’s lips. “So, what you’re saying is that I’m special?”

 

“Don’t let it go to your head,” Barry warned playfully. 

 

He poured Barry a mug of coffee and brought it to him. He stayed close, so their chests almost touched, and Barry made no move to put space between them. He leaned forward, just enough to make his intentions known. “I have to ask Barry--last I heard, you were going on a date with your ex-fianceé. I’m not one to break up a happy home--well, that’s not entirely true, but I’d rather that not be what we are.”

 

“Are you asking if I got back together with Jesse?” Barry asked, lips twitching into a smile. 

 

Len shrugged. “I like to know where I stand with people.” 

 

Barry took the coffee mugs and set them on the counter, before leaning forward to press their lips together. It was soft and chaste and sent shivers down Len’s spine. He raised a hand to Barry’s cheek, turning his head to deepen it ever so much. 

 

When he pulled back, there was a scarlet blush on Barry’s cheeks. He thought about going in for another, taking Barry and showing him just how wonderful he really thought he was. 

 

But, fate intervenes, and Len’s phone started to ring. Barry raised an eyebrow. “You gonna get that?” 

 

“Do I have to?” he asked, eyes flickering down to Barry’s lips. 

 

“Could be important.”

 

“More important than this? Not possible.”

 

“Could be a lead.”

 

That made him pause. Right. Gotham weapons. He sighed and took a step back. “I hate it when you’re right.”

 

Barry shrugged, and Len headed into the living area, grabbing his phone off the table. It was a text from one of his ears--someone had been bragging about weapons that could make someone more powerful than even metahumans. There was a name and a location.

 

“Got something,” he called. Barry hurried over, resting his chin on Len’s shoulder to see the text. 

 

“Great. We can meet up tonight and see what we can find out.” 

 

Len turned to him and raised an eyebrow. “We? No offense, Scarlet, but I have a reputation here. I don’t really need a good cop.”

 

Barry kissed him on the cheek. “That’s so cute. You think you’re the bad cop. And I thought that Iris is the scarlet one? The Scarlet Speedster of the Twin Cities?”

 

Len shrugged. “Maybe to everyone else. But that scarlet blush on your cheeks is just for me. You’re  _ my  _ Scarlet.”

 

He surged up to kiss him again, hoping that it was okay, but Barry returned the kiss enthusiastically. He pulled away with a smile. “I really have to go. I need to check on Iris.” 

 

“Go on. I’ll meet you tonight.” 

 

Barry ran into the bedroom to grab the shirt Len gave him. “Hey, where did you put my costume?”

 

“By the door,” he called back. Barry ran back across the safe house with a quick good-bye. 

 

\----------

 

Jesse sat at the desk Captain Singh had given him at CCPD, scouring through police reports for any sign of the Red Hood. When Bruce sent him to Central, he thought he was being paranoid. Sure, Jason was back with a vengeance, armed to the teeth, but the Joker was in Gotham.  _ That  _ was his target. Avenging his own death. Getting Batman to answer for why he didn’t. 

 

After his confrontation with Batman and Nightwing, trying to kill Black Mask, kidnapping the Joker and forcing Batman to choose which of them would die, all leading up to the bomb Jason set that paved the way to his escape, Jesse had been convinced he was either laying low in Gotham or a thousand miles away. 

 

But Bruce was so sure he would come to Central. He was so sure that he’d come to Barry. 

 

Jesse wasn’t around when Jason was alive. He’d heard stories, mostly from Barry, about their childhood. They were about the same age, so the pair became fast friends after Bruce took Jason in. According to Barry, Jason was a troublemaker in all the ways young Barry wasn’t. He’d talk his brother into doing the most ridiculous things that he never would’ve done--skinny dipping in Gotham River, putting Nair in Dick’s shampoo bottle, rigging Bruce’s car--which he now realized was probably the Batmobile--to blast “Never Gonna Give You Up” every time the accelerator was hit. 

 

He knew Barry blamed himself for his death, though he never talked about why. He knew that he blamed Bruce, too. He also knew that Barry loved talking about Jason, but he was a taboo topic at Wayne Manor. 

 

After the Joker murdered him, Barry became Thunderbird to avenge him. That craving for vengeance devoured him, and none of the people who loved him did anything to help. 

 

Dick moved to Bludhaven. Bruce went into a funk. And Jesse dumped him the second he saw who Barry was--scared and angry and trying to grab onto something. No wonder Barry hated him so much. The second things got hard, he tossed him away like trash when what Barry needed was someone to pull him close, to tell him it was okay. 

 

He sighed and dropped his head on the desk. 

 

“Tired?”

 

He looked up to see Detective Joe West leaning against his desk, arms crossed over his chest. Jesse gave him a tight smile. “Yeah. I gotta find this guy--he waged a war on the streets of Gotham, wiped out all the drug lords to take over their trade, and because of him, one of our most notorious mob bosses is in the wind.”

 

Joe nodded. “I get it. It’s your White Whale. Just don’t let it turn you into Ahab, alright?” 

 

Jesse smiled. He liked the older detective. He was the man he wished his father had been, instead of a low life mobster. “Yes, sir.”

 

“I’m heading out. My daughter’s sick, so I’m gonna go sit with her.”

 

“I’m sorry,” he replied. “If there’s anything I can do…” 

 

But Joe shook his head. “Nah, she’s got a doctor friend at STAR Labs that helped when she was in a coma. She’ll take care of her.”

 

That got Jesse’s attention. He sat up a little straighter and frowned. “STAR Labs? Your daughter is Iris West?”

 

Joe froze. “How do you know my daughter?”

 

Jesse was already in a tizzy, though. He jumped to his feet. “Is it Doctor Light? Or Zoom? Is Barry okay?”

 

Joe was shaken. He grabbed Jesse by the arm and dragged him towards Singh’s empty office. Once inside, he locked the door and closed the blinds. “You’re gonna tell me what you know and how you know it right now.”

 

“I know Iris is the Flash,” Jesse replied, holding his hands up in surrender. “I know that she was going against a metahuman that was working for some evil speedster named Zoom. I was at STAR Labs when the whole thing went down. I’m the one that got them the gun from GCPD.”

 

That was a lie, but one Barry was making him tell. It was honestly the least he could do. 

 

Joe narrowed his eyes, and Jesse sighed. “Look, I don’t care that your daughter is a superhero. I’m not going to tell anyone. What I do care about is that the man I love was at STAR Labs with her last night, and I need to find out if he’s okay.” 

 

He didn’t wait for Joe, he pushed past him, unlocked the door, and hurried out. “I’m driving.” 

 

\----------

 

Barry was at Iris’ side when she woke up. She’d passed out from exhaustion a few hours after finding out she was paralyzed from the waist down and had been asleep ever since. He needed to tell her the truth about who he was. Needed to let her know that her best friend was back, that he was here for her. 

 

When she turned to him and smiled, though, he chickened out. This wasn’t the time, he told himself. She was dealing with so much. 

 

“Hey,” she said. “How are you feeling? Cisco told me you crashed your bike.” 

 

Leave it to Iris to be more worried about him than herself. “I’m okay. Just some scrapes and a small concussion. I got checked out.” 

 

“I’m glad.” Her smile fell. “I’m sorry.”

 

Barry furrowed his brow. “Sorry for what?”

 

“Putting all of you in danger. Zoom could’ve come in here and killed all of you, and I would’ve been useless to stop him. If it hadn’t been for that guy…”

 

Barry tilted his head in fake confusion. “What guy?”

 

Iris threw her hands up. “This guy in a mask with a bird on his chest. He took on Zoom by himself, bought Cisco enough time to get me back inside. If it weren’t for him, Zoom would’ve killed me. I was completely useless.”

 

“Hey!” Barry took her by the hand. “Look at me, Iris West.” She startled at his tone, but he wasn’t backing down. “You are a fantastic woman. People are here because they believe in you. I believe in you. Not in the Flash, not in whoever the hell that guy was, in Iris West. It’s why we followed you, and it’s why we’ll continue to follow you. It’s also why, after Caitlin gives you the okay, you are going to get up out of that bed and walk. Because like hell is someone like Zoom going to break you. You’re stronger than him.” 

 

She looked at him with unshed tears, and he pressed a kiss on the back of her hand. “I believe in you.”

 

When he pulled away, a little spark zapped between their fingers, making Barry jump back with a frown. She seemed just as surprised as he was. “That’s never happened.”

 

They shared a frown, but Cisco chose that moment to come striding in. “Heads up, your dad’s on his way in. He looks like he’s on a rampage.”

 

Barry’s eyes widened. “Aaaand that’s my cue to leave.” He rose to his feet and headed for the door. 

 

“You sure, dude?” Cisco called after him. “Jesse’s with him.”

 

Barry snorted, grabbing his coat off the back of the computer chair. “Even more reason for me to go. Tell him he just missed me.” 

 

He practically ran for the garage, the sounds of the two cops heading for the cortex way too close for comfort. 


	14. Thunderbird Returns

Len was so cute. Barry thought so, anyway. The criminal thought he was so slick, so cool, so indomitable. He’d been waiting on the corner across the street from Barry’s apartment for the past hour, staring up at his window like he was going to surprise him. 

 

_ Haha, I can find where you live, too.  _

 

He screamed like a little girl when he realized Barry already left and was standing behind him in the shadows, Thunderbird costume already on. He bit back a laugh as Len doubled over, trying to catch his breath. 

 

“Son of a bitch!” he finally exclaimed. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

 

“Sorry. I didn’t think you’d startle that bad.” He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Len’s cheek. That seemed to calm him. 

 

A reluctant smile grew on Len’s lips, and he shook his head. “So, we taking the van?”

 

Barry pursed his lips. “I thought we could go my way.”

 

“Scarlet, there are many things I would do for you,” Len said slowly, “but swinging from buildings is not one of them.” 

 

Barry laughed. “Not what I meant.” He backed towards the street behind them with a grin. “Let’s just say that I bought myself a little something.” 

 

He drank in the look of awe on Len’s face as he approached the sleek, black sports car Barry was heading to. It wasn’t any car he would recognize--Barry had Lucius specially make it, with some bells and whistles included. If he was going to break the rules, he was going to do it right. 

 

Not surprisingly, Lucius already had it ready for him when he called. He knew Barry too well. 

 

Barry leaned against the hood and smirked. “Whaddya think?” 

 

Len was practically drooling. Barry had an idea of what kind of thoughts were running through Len’s mind as he looked from Barry to the car, but they didn’t have time for that. Maybe after they secured the weapons. 

 

“Come on,” he urged, pushing off the car and pressing a button on his gauntlet. Both car doors opened. “It’s already past eight. You said that the guy leaves Saints around nine.”

 

He climbed into the driver’s side, and Len--playing it cool--strolled over to climb into the passenger seat. 

 

“Damn,” he said, looking over the interior appreciatively. “So, this is how the other half lives.” 

 

“Only when their fathers are egotistical geniuses with childhood traumas that make them think they need to dress up like a giant bat and fight clowns.” 

 

Len snorted, and Barry cranked the car and threw it in drive.

 

—————

 

Mika Santini was the youngest of the Vic Santini’s children. He owned a third of the Santini territory, which he thought made him something in Central. 

 

While in Saints, he tried to pick up every pretty thing he saw, striking out each time. In honesty, no one wanted to get into bed with the Santini’s—literally or figuratively. Rumor was that a mob of metas were moving in, and no one wanted to face off against superhumans. 

 

Mika wasn’t worried. He thought he was the biggest, baddest asshole in the city. 

 

Until his driver slammed on the brakes. 

 

He faceplanted the opaque glass between them, cursing the driver for his careless driving. If he was lucky, he’d just get fired.

 

He pushed the intercom button. “Hey, you dick! Where’d you learn to drive?” 

 

He slammed his palm on the glass. The glass lowered, and a familiar face turned back to smirk at him.

 

“Evening,” Leonard fucking Snart said, miming tipping a hat. 

 

Mika sneered. “Cold. What the hell is this?” 

 

“Your driver had a bit of an emergency and had to leave suddenly. I thought I’d be a Good Samaritan and help out a friend.” 

 

“What do you want?” he growled. “Territory? Money?”

 

Snart clicked his tongue. “All in good time. For now, let’s just take a drive.” 

 

Without warning, he hit the gas. Mika tumbled back, and the screen raised up. The car took five sharp turns, hit a roundabout, and ran through at least two red lights. 

 

Finally, they skidded to a stop. The car shut off, and Mika steeled himself for whatever Cold was planning. The back door swung open to reveal Snart in full Captain Cold wear, including the cold gun strapped to his thigh. 

 

“Come on out,” he urged, motioning to the street. “We have a lot to talk about.”

 

There was no weapon in his hand, but there was no doubt in Mika’s mind that it was a demand. Narrowing his eyes, he climbed out of the car.

 

They were at the pier in the shipping yard. There were stacks upon stacks of storage containers, enough to hide whatever Snart was planning.

 

He prepared himself. There was a gun in waistband, but he wasn’t dumb enough to think he could draw it before Snart got to his cold gun.

 

“What the fuck is this about, Snart? You tryin’ to start a war?”

 

Snart laughed—actually  _ laughed at him— _ and shook his head. “This isn’t about your family, Mika. The Santini’s are a dying breed without my help. No, this is about some whispers I’ve heard. Biological weapons stolen from Wayne Enterprises.” 

 

Mika’s eyes widened. “Nuh-uh. I ain’t tellin’ you nothin’.” 

 

Snart sighed and hung his head. “You have some choices, Mika. You can tell me what I want to know, and leave here unscathed. Or, you can not leave at all, and you’ll still tell me what I want to know.” 

 

He laid a hand on the cold gun. Mika scoffed. “You think I’m afraid of you, Snart? Afraid of your gun? Go ahead—freeze me. Because he’s gonna do a lot worse to me if he finds out I snitched.” 

 

Snart frowned, like he was confused, and then laughed again. “I see. You think that  _ I’m  _ threatening you. No, see, I’m trying to help you, Mika. My partner, on the other hand…”

 

“You mean Rory?” Mika laughed. “You think I’m afraid of your pet pyro?”

 

He didn’t even notice he’d stepped right into Snart’s trap. Literally. A snare trap tightened around his ankle, and suddenly, he was dragged straight into the air by his leg. He screamed as he dangled in front of one of the storage units, a dark shadow drifting down so it stood between him and Snart. 

 

Snart just grinned at the newcomer, moving to take a seat on the hood.

 

“I...I don’t know nothin’,” Mika insisted. The shadow turned, and Mika knew. This was a Gotham freak. One of those twisted people that climbed out of whatever cesspool they were raised in to rise up, using their insanity as a weapon. 

 

It didn’t matter if this guy was good or bad. By Central standards, he was already black-hearted. 

 

Mika trembled. “Please...I don’t really know anything. I just like to feel important.”

 

Something glinted in the man’s hand. Next thing Mika knew, a knife was embedded in the storage unit he was hanging from, only centimeters from the top of his head. He yelped. 

 

A lock of hair fell from the top of his head, right where the knife sliced through. 

 

“My friend here doesn’t miss,” Snart drawled, checking his nails. “I’d tell him what we want to know.” 

 

The freak threw another knife. This one went through the fabric of his shirt.  

 

“Please...don’t do this…”

 

Another knife struck, this time so close to his face, it sliced his cheek. He cried out. “I don’t know his name! I didn’t even see his face--he was wearing a mask!” 

 

The knife thrower paused, one weapon in the air. “A name,” he growled, speaking for the first time since he arrived. 

 

Mika shook his head. “I don’t know. I swear to God, I don’t know.”

“Liar.” He moved to throw the knife, but Snart grabbed his arm to stop him. 

 

“He said he doesn’t know,” he whispered. 

 

The freak sneered. “He’s lying. He knows something, and he’s going to tell us.” 

 

Mika watched the way that Snart’s face softened as he stared at the man’s masked face. “You aren’t a killer, and you aren’t Batman. You’re Thunderbird. Do what  _ you  _ would do.” 

 

Thunderbird...that sounded familiar. One of the Gotham vigilantes or something. 

 

“And how do  _ you  _ suggest we get him to talk?” Thunderbird replied sharply. Snart pursed his lips and assessed Mika. 

 

“How do you feel about limiting the Santini gene pool?” 

 

Mika’s eyes widened, but a grin stretched across Thunderbird’s lips. “You think a direct strike, or that a sideswipe would suffice?”

 

Mika shook his head frantically, hands covering his cock. “No, don’t! I don’t know his name, but the mask he was wearing looked like a skull or something. He said that someone was paying him a lot of money to find ways to replicate the stuff, and he had some scientist workin’ on it! That’s all I know!” 

 

Thunderbird frowned. “A skull? Like, a completely black skull?”

 

“Yeah, I guess,” Mika agreed. “Please don’t kill me or maim me. Please.” The front of his pants went warm, and he knew he’d wet himself. 

 

Thunderbird looked to Snart. “I know who robbed Wayne Enterprises.”

 

He turned to walk away, throwing the knife in his hand at the storage unit. It struck the rope holding Mika in the air, and he tumbled painfully to the ground. When he looked back up, Snart and Thunderbird were gone, along with every ounce of his dignity.

 

\----------

 

The ride back into town was quiet. Barry was lost in his mind as he drove, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel nervously. Len watched him with a slight frown. He didn’t recognize who Mika described, but Barry sure as hell did. Whoever it was, it was someone he didn’t like. 

 

“You know who he was talking about.”

 

Barry didn’t reply. 

 

“It’s someone from Gotham, isn’t it?”

 

“I don’t want to talk about it,” he sniped. So, someone he  _ really  _ didn’t like. 

 

“Tell me, is there anyone in Gotham you don’t hate so much that you can’t talk about them?”

 

Barry’s hands tightened around the steering wheel, and he slammed on the brakes. Len was glad he’d worn his seatbelt. 

 

“I don’t...my hatred of him isn’t personal. He’s just hurt a lot of people--Selina, the Waynes, innocents in Gotham. To know that he’s here, in Central…” He sighed. “His name is Roman Sionis. He’s a twisted mobster with a deadly temper. He goes by ‘Black Mask’.”

 

Len nodded. “Because of the black skull mask he wears. Got it.” 

 

Barry squeezed his eyes shut. “I feel like I’ve somehow brought threats like him to Central just by being here. Like I’m cursed.”

 

Len couldn’t help himself. He started to laugh. “I’m sorry,” he said when Barry glared at him. “It’s just funny. STAR Labs has literally blown up this city  _ twice _ . There are people out there that control the weather and turn into a deadly gas. This town was cursed way before you came along, Barry. Life sucks and is weird as fuck. If you don’t roll with the punches, you’re gonna keep getting knocked to the ground.”

 

He looked like he was going to argue, so Len leaned forward and pressed their lips together. Barry melted into it, reaching up to cup Len’s cheek. When they separated, Barry rested their foreheads together. “How is this so easy? It shouldn’t be this easy.”

 

Len smiled. “Just accept it, Scarlet. Good things don’t always last.”

 

He leaned in to kiss him again, but Barry jerked up and away from his touch. His eyes were blank and his face stoic.

 

Len frowned, uncertain. “Barry? Are you okay?” 

 

Wordlessly, he climbed out of the car. Len scrambled out after him, freezing when he saw what was standing in the middle of the street. 

 

It was a giant gorilla. There was a massive gorilla standing in the street, and Barry was walking towards it. Shit. 

 

He ran to stop his...labeless person he liked...but a screech in his head knocked him to his knees. He covered his ears, but it didn’t smother the noise. It grew louder and louder until he was sure his brain was going to burst. Then, it went silent. 

 

When Len looked up, Barry was gone. 

 

\----------

 

Jesse was sitting in STAR Labs, listening to Joe West argue with his daughter over getting up and walking too soon, to which Iris stubbornly argued that there was nothing wrong with her physically, and she damn well wasn’t letting Zoom scare her into staying down, when a man in a blue parka came running inside the cortex. 

 

The other people in the room perked up, and Joe’s hand fell to his gun. “Snart? What the hell--?”

 

There was a desperate franticness in Snart’s arrival, though, and Jesse knew he wasn’t in the mood to answer questions. 

 

“A giant gorilla kidnapped Barry.”

 

Jesse didn’t even realize he was on his feet until he was standing right in front of Snart. “Tell me everything.”  

 


	15. Monkey Business

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of Barry's past revealed here, including why he blames himself for Jason's death. Also, Jesse and Len meet.

When Barry opened his eyes, he was leaned against a wall, his hands shackled in front of him. He was some abandoned, domed, metal room. There were scratchings in the rust, drawings and words--a lightning bolt, “Father”, a sketch of Caitlin, the Wayne Enterprises symbol. Around these were complicated equations, ones for dark matter and different compounds he didn’t recognize. 

 

Mostly, though, there was one word scattered: GRODD. 

 

He frowned. He didn’t remember much. He was in his car--the  _ Thunder Mobile... _ no, that sounded dumb, he needed to work on it--kissing Len, and then he was waking up chained to the wall. 

 

His eyes traced around the room, trying to find some indication of where he was, but he stopped when he saw equipment boxes stacked on the far side of the room beside a worktable. They had the Wayne Enterprise logo on them. 

 

What was going on?

 

Loud footsteps drew his attention to the large hole he assumed was the door. 

 

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. 

 

Whatever was coming wasn’t human, and Barry prepared himself for the worst. Fortunately, all that came in was an extra large gorilla, instead of, say, a nine-ton shark man or something. 

 

The gorilla gave him a passing glance but continued over to the worktable. It...he... _ the gorilla  _ messed with some papers that were on it, fiddled with some equipment, but Barry could tell that it didn’t know what to do, how to start whatever plan it concocted. 

 

He swallowed. “Can...can you speak?”

 

A low growl rumbled through the creature.  _ “In a manner of speaking.”  _

 

The voice was in his head, an echo of a thought that wasn’t his. Anyone else would’ve been scared stiff. To Barry, this was one of the most amazing things he’d ever experienced. “You’re telepathic! A meta-gorilla. That’s a new one. Is there anything else you can do? Psychic attacks, mind control? Well, I’m assuming that’s how I’m here and how you got those boxes from Wayne Enterprises. Can you read minds, too?”

 

_ “You talk too much.”  _

 

“I’ve been told that,” Barry agreed. “It’s usually when I’m nervous or excited.”

 

_ “And which are you experiencing now?” _

 

Barry pursed his lips and shrugged. “It’s varying by the second. I mean, on one hand, you’re a huge gorilla who could squash my head like a grape with little to no effort. But on the other, you’re...amazing. I’ve never seen anything like you.”

 

Something filled Barry’s head--an emotion that he was accidentally feeling second hand. Sadness. Surprise. Denial. 

 

_ “No more talking,”  _ he ordered, returning to his work. 

 

\----------

 

“You’re telling me that Barry was taken by a telepathic gorilla?” Jesse asked. He and Leonard Snart were standing in the cortex, getting the rundown from Team Flash about what they were facing. 

 

Even for a Gothamite, though, this was all a bit much.

 

“He was an experiment of the last Dr. Wells and the military,” Caitlin explained. “They were trying to discover mind control or something.”

 

“At least, the military was,” Cisco said.  “Dr. Wells knew exactly what he was doing.” 

 

Another Dr. Wells—the one from Zoom’s Earth, Barry had explained—huffed. “It seems my not-really doppelgänger enjoyed making his charges into weapons to use at his beck and call.” 

 

“Fascinating as all this is,” Snart spoke up, “none of it explains why Grodd took Barry.” 

 

Jesse frowned. Snart was right. Barry wasn’t friends with these people a year ago. There was no reason that he should’ve been a target. Unless…

 

He narrowed his eyes at Snart. “What was he even doing with you last night?” 

 

There was a dangerous twinkle in the criminal’s eye when he faced Jesse. “Why, Reese? Jealous?”

 

“I just want to make sure Barry wasn’t messing with things he shouldn’t be.” 

 

Snart tilted his head, and Jesse could tell he knew  _ exactly  _ what Jesse was implying. “I was consulting on a Wayne Enterprises matter. Nothing we were doing had anything to do with a giant gorilla, except the part where he played ‘pied piper’ and mind controlled Barry right out of the car.”

 

Jesse was good at reading people, especially criminals—being raised in a family of them, it was a trained talent. Snart was mostly telling the truth, and what little bit he was omitting, Jesse could guess why.

 

Barry was wearing the mask again. He wanted to say that he couldn’t believe it, but he’d be lying. Even teaming up with Captain Cold didn’t surprise him, considering he was trained by Catwoman. 

 

“What were you consulting with?” Iris asked. “Anything Grodd could use?”

 

Snart rolled his eyes. “See, that’s the problem here, isn’t it? I don’t know, because none of us know what Grodd wants.”

 

“I know.” 

 

They all turned to see Joe striding in the room, a Manila folder in his hand. His eyes narrowed when he saw Snart. 

 

“What the hell is he doing here?”

 

“He was the last one to see Barry,” Iris quickly jumped in. “He was there when Grodd took him.” 

 

Joe tensed at the gorilla’s name. Jesse assumed there was a story there, but either way, he couldn’t blame the detective for being uncomfortable over a giant telepathic gorilla. 

 

“You said you knew why Wayne was taken?” Wells spoke up, breaking Joe out of his terror. 

 

He nodded. “There was a robbery last night. I use the term loosely because it was at Wayne Enterprises, and Barry Wayne was the one reported taking it all.”

 

“Taking all what?” Cisco asked. Joe pulled a sheet of paper out of the folder and handed it to him.

 

Caitlin looked over his shoulder, and both paled. “This is everything you would need to recreate dark matter,” the doctor said. 

 

She and Cisco both looked to Iris, who frowned solemnly. “Grodd’s trying to make an army.”

 

\----------

 

Barry sat in silence for over an hour. Meanwhile, Grodd, as he assumed the gorilla was named, shuffled through his instruments and equipment, obviously trying to make sense of something he didn’t understand.

 

“I can help.”

 

Grodd made a sound close to a snort.  _ “Why would you do that?” _

 

“Beats sitting here chained to a wall.” He jangled his chains. “Escaping has never been my forte, as my entire family will tell you. My older brother has a funny story involving me being dangled over a shark tank like a magician until my dad walked in and almost had an aneurysm.”

 

Grodd didn’t reply. Instead, he continued pattering around, attempting to find his solution while occasionally writing a new equation or drawing on the wall.

 

“Heard the phrase ‘two heads are better than one’?” Barry continued. “You’re obviously struggling, and I created half the equipment you’re using and was trained by the guy that created the other half. At the very least, I could tell you how to operate it all. I mean, what do you have to lose?” 

 

Grodd paused what he was doing. A sound like a sigh echoed through the room. Finally, he grabbed the plans off the workbench and stomped over to Barry, throwing the papers at his feet. 

 

Barry frowned. They looked like the equations that the other Harrison Wells made to create the particle accelerator. If it weren’t for Lucius Fox, it would’ve all been gibberish. Lucky for him, he had one hell of a teacher. 

 

“You’re trying to recreate what happened to you,” Barry realized. “You want to make more super smart, telepathic gorillas.”

 

_ “You will help me. If you do, I will free you.” _

 

The key to the shackles was thrown on the plans, and Barry took no time to remove them. His wrists were torn and bleeding, but it wasn’t like it was bothering him, so he could focus on that later. 

 

“So,” he said, picking up the plans and putting them in his lap. Grodd plopped down in front of him, crossing his legs like he was dignified or something. “You want to make an injection so that you can have others of your species, right?”

 

_ “Yes...but I don’t understand Father’s science. I am not that advanced yet. I must become MORE. _ ”

 

Barry nodded. “You want to be smarter. That’s a noble goal, but I can teach you this without making you even more of a chemical cocktail than you already are.”

 

He could’ve sworn the gorilla frowned at him.  _ “How?” _

 

“You can read my mind, right?” Grodd nodded. “Then you can go into my head, and see how I learned. You can learn anything.”

 

_ “You would...willingly allow me to enter your mind?” _

 

Barry furrowed his brow. “Yeah...why? Were you planning on doing something while you were in there? Because I’m messed up enough as it is, trust me.”

 

Grodd made a noise that Barry could’ve sworn was a laugh.  _ “Why? Why would a human help me?” _

 

Barry lowered his eyes. “No one deserves to be alone in the world.” 

 

Grodd stared at him for a moment, like he was considering Barry and how truthful he was. Then, he closed his eyes. Smiling, Barry did the same.

 

\----------

 

Len didn’t like Jesse Reese. He didn’t like that he made Barry feel bad about himself. He didn’t like that he was a cop. He didn’t like the way he watched him like he was something stuck on the bottom of his shoe.

 

So, when the cop grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into the hall, it took every ounce of willpower not to shatter his hand, and that was for Barry’s sake. 

 

“Don’t,” he snarled once they were alone, jerking his hand out of Reese’s grip, “touch me again.”

 

“I know that Barry was running around as Thunderbird with you,” he whispered. “I don’t care about that now. What I do care about is finding Barry.”

 

Len leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. “And why would you care about that? From what he’s said, he told you to get lost.” 

 

Resse rolled his eyes. “I don’t care about that. I love Barry. He’s the only person I’ve ever loved, and if I can save him, I will, no matter how pissed he gets at me.”

 

Meaning that he didn’t care about the consequences that came along with it. Didn’t care about the emotional pain Barry felt from the trauma of that night at the Court. Len hummed. “And this has nothing to do with the fact your spying on him for his father?”

 

“No. I’m not going to tell Bruce about Thunderbird. I just want to save him from a sadistic gorilla.”

 

Len narrowed his eyes, wondering why he was coming to him with this. “And the reason you’re talking to me is…?”

 

“Because Barry was taken in his Thunderbird costume, and I doubt that Grodd had him change clothes.”

 

“So, you’re trying to protect his identity?”

 

Reese shrugged. “It’s not my secret to tell. Revealing Barry’s identity puts his whole family at risk.”

 

Len nodded along with his thinking. “That explains the why. Now, tell me how we’re supposed to find Barry before the team of geniuses.”

 

A smile grew across Reese’s lips. “There’s a tracker in the Thunderbird suit.”

 

\----------

 

Having someone, much less a gorilla, in his head was a strange sensation. Most people picture the mind like a hallway of doors, but in reality, it was much more complicated. It was a web of connections and memories. If you found one, you could slide right onto something else without even trying, kind of like late night YouTubing. 

 

He tried to focus on Lucius and his teachings, showing Grodd what he wanted. They sat there, memory through memory of Lucius and his lessons while Bruce was busy with the business or Batman. 

 

Batman...Robin. 

 

His memory skidded away without his consent, and he cursed. Dick...Jason...god, Jason.

 

A memory popped up against his will, and he wondered if Grodd became curious and started poking around on his own. 

 

_ Barry and Bruce got in a fight that day. Barry wanted to train to be a vigilante like everyone else. Bruce refused, like always, with no explanation.  _

 

_ Barry did what he was always good at--he packed a bag, climbed out the window, and ran. He didn’t go far, just to Selina’s apartment. She always told him her door was open if he ever needed her.  _

 

_ Jason found out Barry was gone before anyone else. Instead of ratting him out, he put on his Robin costume and went out looking for him on his own.  _

 

_ Selina took Barry home the next morning. That’s when he found out Jason was missing.  _

 

**_“So much guilt…”_ ** Grodd’s voice was so far away, yet so close, **“** **_sadness…”_ **

 

_ Bruce, Dick, and Barbara searched for weeks. Selina helped look, but Bruce made Barry stay home with Alfred, terrified to lose someone else. It was a month before the broadcast came on. Before the Joker announced the grand finale of his month-long ‘party’ with Robin.  _

 

_ No one cried like Barry had when the Joker beat Jason with the crowbar. No one grieved like him when the explosion echoed across the entire city. And not one person made an oath the day they put him in the ground that they would avenge him.  _

 

**_“So angry…so much pain…”_ **

 

Pain.

 

_ Loving Jesse. Saying yes to marrying him.  _

 

_ That night on the roof when he rejected him.  _

 

Rejection.

 

_Henry Allen telling him he didn't want to see him ever again._

 

_ The silent treatment Bruce gave him after the Court incident when he refused to stop being Thunderbird. The way he hadn’t looked at him until he finally agreed to hang up his mask.  _

 

Court. 

 

_ Talon leading Barry into the Parliament. Someone was kneeling on the ground, a hood thrown over their head.  _

 

_ “All you have to do is pass this test to prove your loyalty.”  _

 

_ The hood being removed. Batman staring up at him, tied up and gagged after the Talons got the drop on him during his investigation.  _

 

_ Talon telling him to kill his father.  _

 

_ Barry’s refusal.  _

 

_ The last pain Barry would ever feel cutting through his chest as Talon ran him through, only for Jesse to barge in and gun the assassin down seconds later.  _

 

Jesse. 

 

_ Waking up on the medical table in the Bat Cave. But no, he never really woke up. He wasn’t Barry anymore. He was a thing, something that should never have existed. A choice that was stolen from him. He wished he’d died. He wished he was dead.  _

 

**_“Lonely…”_ **

 

_ STAR Labs. Sitting in a cage while Eiling taunted him. Father watched angrily.  _

 

Eiling. 

 

_ The experiments. The pain. The explosion he used to escape. Father left.  _

 

_ Forced to hide. Forced to exist. Forced to be alone.  _

 

**_“Not alone...not anymore…”_ **

  
  


Barry inhaled sharply as his and Grodd’s minds separated. The memories they shared. The abandonment and sorrow that sat in their hearts. 

 

Barry didn’t even realize he’d been crying. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “That shouldn’t have happened to you. What they did...that was wrong. That was cruel.”

 

_ “Barry…”  _ A large gorilla hand laid across Barry’s arm.  _ “Friend...Kin…” _

 

Barry frowned, not understanding what Grodd meant.

 

_ “Both alone. Both created out of selfish need. Both hiding from the world. Kin.”  _

 

His frown ticked up, turning into a watery smile. “Kin. I’m okay with that.”

 

_ “I don’t need gorillas. I have Barry.” _

 

Hold up. This was starting to turn into King Kong, and he was no Naomi Watts. “Grodd, I have to go back. I can’t stay here. ”

 

_ “Can,”  _ Grodd argued, rising to his feet to loom over him.  _ “Will. Kin.”  _

 

Well, shit. 


	16. Joy or Pain

For the second time, Barry woke up in Grodd’s lair, this time unchained with a pillow under his head. He could hear angry talking across the room, half in his head and half echoing through the dome. Grodd was facing the doorway, speaking to someone who was blocked from Barry’s view by the giant gorilla’s body.

 

“I told you to take him. Not make him your pet!”

 

_ “He is Kin.” _

 

“He is an enemy!” the visitor growled. “ _ My  _ enemy!”

 

_ “He has no memory of you. There is pain and suffering. There is loneliness. There is no Flash.”  _

 

Barry frowned. Flash? Is that who the visitor thought he was? But the Flash was obviously a woman. 

 

“It doesn’t matter. He is not yours to keep. He will taste my rage.”

 

_ “Not here.” _

 

There was something in the tone of Grodd’s voice and in the silence that followed that told Barry he didn’t say ‘no’ to this man a lot. There was a shuffle like the man took a step back. 

 

“You would stand up against me for  _ Barry Allen _ ?”

 

_ “He is Kin, Father,”  _ Grodd repeated.  _ “And he will stay with me.” _

 

There was a snarl. “You’ll regret betraying me.” With that, the doorway lit up with red lightning, and Barry and Grodd were left alone. 

 

_ “I’m sorry you had to hear that.”  _

 

Barry raised his head from the pillow, frowning as Grodd turned to face him. “Who was that?”

 

_ “Father,”  _ Grodd answered quietly.  _ “He and Caitlin were the only ones who showed me kindness. After I escaped, he found me shelter to hide. He cared for me, and in return, I became a distraction for Flash. Then, he disappeared.”  _

 

“I’m sorry.” He meant it. Grodd had it hard. He had to hide in sewers, in abandoned buildings. He had to fight to keep himself safe. There was nowhere he could go that he wouldn’t be stared at or feared. And none of the people who made him that way did a thing to help. 

 

Grodd took a seat across from him, the same way he had when they shared their mind meld.  _ “You’re not like them. You are Kin.” _

 

Barry sighed. “Grodd, people are going to come looking for me. I’m the son of a multi-billionaire and the heir to a Fortune 500 company. Not to mention that I have a family. Yeah, they’re dicks most of the time, but I can’t leave them. They’ll all look for me.”

 

_ “They won’t find us,”  _ Grodd assured.  _ “There are places to go, places where no one can find us.” _

 

Barry shook his head. “I can’t go. I’m sorry. I wish that I could stay with you and help protect you from all the bad people in the world, but I have responsibilities here.” 

 

Grodd tilted his head.  _ “You are reluctant to leave your life behind. To leave  _ them  _ behind.” _

 

Images flashed through Barry’s mind--Bruce, Dick, Jesse, Iris, Len, Caitlin, Cisco, Lucius, Alfred, Selina.

 

_ “You are not them anymore. I will help you break free.” _

 

Barry’s eyes widened, realizing what Grodd was about to do. “Grodd, no!” he tried to shout, but darkness took him again.

 

\----------

 

Resse and Len drove through the streets of Central, the former using a tracer on his phone while the latter sped as fast as the squad car they’d...acquired...allowed. 

 

“So,” Len asked as they ran through their fifth stop light, “how do you know that Grodd didn’t have Barry ditch the tracker on a bus or something?”

 

“Barry doesn’t know it’s there.”

 

Len nearly slammed on the brakes but settled for shooting an angry side-eye at the cop. 

 

Resse rolled his eyes. “Not our finest moment. I get it. We’re overprotective dickbags. But if you lived in Gotham and had as high a chance of getting kidnapped as Barry, you’d have trackers in your clothes, too.”

 

Len frowned. “How many outfits did you and his father put trackers in?”

 

“...almost all of them.”

 

Len was ready to throw the detective right out of the car, but then, he sat up straighter. “Barry’s on the move.”

 

“What?”

 

“Turn here!” he pointed to their left, and Len made a quick, illegal turn down a one-way street. Reese frowned at the phone. “He’s moving fast like he’s in a car or something.”

 

“Meaning Grodd probably has him mind-controlled again,” Len concluded. “Great. So, we have to face off against not only a telepathic gorilla but also a mind-controlled vigilante that feels no pain and could easily kill either of us without breaking a sweat.” 

 

“Pretty much.” Reese looked to Len with a raised brow. “Want out?”

 

Len scoffed. “Not a chance.”

 

He could see Reese’s thoughtful expression in his peripherals, but it quickly disappeared when he looked back at the phone. “Oh, no.”

 

That didn’t sound good. “‘Oh, no’ what?”

 

“Barry’s heading towards Ferris Air. There’s a Wayne cargo plane parked there.”

 

Len’s eyes widened. “Please tell me that Barry doesn’t know how to fly a plane.”

 

Reese stayed silent, and Len cursed. He put the pedal to the floor. 

 

\----------

 

The last time he was at Ferris Air, he was betraying the Flash to stop her from doing something she would regret--sending metahumans to a secluded island prison in the middle of the China Sea.  

 

Then, the airstrip had been abandoned, but since Wayne Enterprises became a stronger presence in Central, Kord Industries decided to buy it and start refurbishing it. From what he’d heard, they made a deal with Wayne so the latter could land some planes with their equipment and such on a more private airstrip. 

 

Len bust through the gates in a desperate attempt to get to Barry before they took off. He grabbed his phone from his parka pocket and threw it to Reese. “Call Iris. Tell her where we are.”

 

Reese frowned. “What about protecting Barry’s identity?”

 

“There won’t be an identity to protect if Grodd gets him out of the country.” 

 

He almost didn’t throw the car in park before jumping out and running into the hanger where the Wayne cargo plane was sitting. He drew his cold gun, and, behind him, Resse drew his sidearm. 

 

There was an armored truck with the Wayne logo on the side. Barry was standing at the back, that same blank look in his eyes that he had when he was taken. He opened the back of the truck, and Grodd climbed out. 

 

Len frowned when he noticed the affectionate way Grodd patted Barry’s head. “Scarlet!” 

 

Barry didn’t turn, but Grodd did. He snarled and pushed Barry behind him. Suddenly, his head was  _ burning _ . He fell to his knees, pressing the heels of his palms to his temples. Through his tears, he saw Grodd urging Barry onto the plane. 

 

He clawed at the ground, fighting against the psychic attack to get to the plane. When he was sure he was going to pass out from the pain, yellow lightning appeared in his eye line. Something cold pressed to his forehead, and the pain faded. 

 

He sucked in a deep breath, smiling gratefully at Iris, who was wearing a piece of metal across her forehead. A psychic dampener. “Thanks.”

 

“No problem.” 

 

Panic settled in his stomach. “The plane!” 

 

“Taken care of,” Iris assured. “Cisco and Jesse have it.”

 

They turned to Grodd, still in the hanger while Barry fired up the plane. He was staring at them with such anger and hate.  _ “Flash. _ ”

 

“We have bigger fish to fry right now.”

 

\----------

 

Barry was sitting in the cockpit, headset on as he went through the flight checklist. He didn’t even notice anyone was with him until someone was pressing a gun to the back of his head. 

 

“Shut it down.”

 

“You won’t fire.” Barry knew Jesse wouldn’t kill him. That would take away the whole point of ‘saving him’. Still, he removed the headset and rose from the seat. When he turned, Jesse aimed the gun between his eyes. 

 

His hand shook. Barry smiled. “You always think I’m such a damsel in distress. Like I’m waiting for you to save me. How badly do I have to kick your ass for you to get that I am superior? To you, to any human.”

 

“Barry,” he breathed, “you  _ are  _ human.”

 

“Am I?” Barry asked, stepping closer to Jesse. In a swift move, he disarmed him and took the magazine out of the gun, throwing the weapon behind him. Jesse stumbled back. “After what you did? What my father did? I can’t feel pain. I move faster than ever before. I’m stronger than ever before. I took on the speedster who broke the Flash and lived. You still think that you are even in the same league as me?” 

 

Anger settled in his stomach. He swung at Jesse, hitting his face so hard it knocked him to the ground. “Barry,” he begged, rising to his feet, “you have to snap out of this. Think about your family.”

 

“Grodd  _ is  _ my family.” Barry kicked him in the stomach, knocking him back down the ramp. “We were both lost, lonely, rejected.” He flipped Jesse onto his back with his foot and planted it on his sternum. “Never again. We are Kin. No more abandonment. No more pain. We’re going somewhere none of you will ever hurt me or him again.” 

 

He was so focused on Jesse, he didn’t even notice Cisco lurking in the shadows until something cold was pressed to his forehead. 

 

It  _ hurt.  _

 

Actually  _ hurt _ . 

 

He sucked in air hard. Grodd had blocked all of that heartache out. Now, it was coming back full force. He screamed it out, tears running down his face. 

 

\----------

 

The second they heard Barry’s anguished scream, Grodd stopped mid-fight. He rounded on the plane, and that’s when Len saw it. 

 

He was worried about Barry. He wanted to protect Barry. 

 

Iris moved for another strike, but Len held out an arm to stop her. “Wait!” He sat the cold gun on the floor and held his hands up in surrender. Grodd snarled, but Len didn’t let it deter him. 

 

“Please. I understand why you’re doing this. You care about Barry because he makes you feel important. He honestly believes that you are special, and sees the goodness in you. He makes you feel like you aren’t alone. He’s like a lighthouse when you’re stuck in a storm. But you can’t just covet him. You can’t steal him and keep him to yourself.”

 

He sighed and removed the dampener from his forehead. “No one deserves Barry. He’s the most understanding, accepting person in the world. He could take the most despicable person on the planet and still find something in them worthwhile. He’s lost so much and is so angry, but he uses it to help people. He uses it to make sure that no one else ever has to feel the pain he does. If I thought that you taking him away on that plane would help him, would  _ heal him _ , I wouldn’t be here except to wish him the best of luck. But he isn’t like you. He can’t run or hide. It’s not who he is. He’s a hero.”

 

_ “Humans hurt Grodd. They will hurt him.” _

 

He stopped in front of the gorilla, shaking his head as he looked him right in the eye. “I promise you I won’t let them. As long as I’m breathing, I will make sure they never hurt Barry again.”

 

_ “You are human. How can Grodd trust you?” _

 

Len sighed. “Because I...I think I might be close to falling in love with him. And you can read my mind if you don’t believe me.”

 

Almost instantly, he felt a presence in his mind. He didn’t resist, instead letting Grodd see whatever he needed. After about a moment, it pulled away. He hadn’t even realized he closed his eyes, but when he opened them, Grodd was still staring at him. 

 

Silently, he stepped to the side, clearing a path to the plane. Len ran the whole way to the ramp, to where Barry was sitting in the plane, legs curled up against his chest and a far-off stare in his eye. 

 

He dropped to his side, tearing off his parka to throw over his shoulders--both to hide the Thunderbird costume when Iris showed up, and as a comforting weight. Barry blinked away the stare and looked up. The second his eyes met Len’s, he fell into his arms and burrowed his face into his chest. 

 

Over Barry’s shoulder, he could see Reese watching them, a strange look in his eye.

 

\----------

 

Lucky for Barry and his family, Jesse thought ahead and threw some clothes in the trunk for him to change into while he drove him back to STAR Labs. Len practically bridal carried into the med lab for Caitlin to look over, not bearing to leave his side. 

  
  


“I called your dad,” Jesse explained as Caitlin finished the examination. “He’s paying for Grodd to be sent to Qurac. There’s an animal sanctuary there run by Marie Logan. She’ll take good care of him.”

 

Barry nodded. None of them could understand the relief and gratitude Barry felt hearing that they were taking good care of Grodd. He deserved happiness and to have people who cared surrounding him. The Logans were good people. Marie and her son, Gar, loved animals more than anyone he’d ever met. If there was any family he trusted with Grodd, it was them. 

 

“I’ll have to go visit soon,” he said. Caitlin was the only one who seemed surprised. “He’s not a bad gorilla. He actually protected me.”

 

Caitlin frowned. “From what?”

 

“A man.” Barry shrugged. “I didn’t see him, but he and Grodd were arguing. Something about him wanting to kill me and Grodd not letting him.” He left out the part about him being the one that ordered Grodd to kidnap him. “I think he called him ‘Father’.”

 

Caitlin tensed. On the other side of the room, Cisco’s eyes widened. They shared a quick look, and suddenly, it was like the moment never happened. 

 

_ Curiouser and curiouser.  _

 

“Well, you aren’t injured,” Caitlin finally announced, “and your brain scan came back normal.”

 

He smiled. “Thank you, Cait.”

 

She patted him on the knee and left the room, probably to prepare herself for her date with Kendra. She’d had to push it off since Iris got injured, explaining it as a patient of hers got in an accident and needed her. Kendra understood, but no one was letting her push it off again.

 

Jesse followed right after, but Cisco decided to take her place at his side. Barry swallowed hard. He’d hoped Cisco hadn’t seen his costume, or how easily he’d taken Jesse down, but Cisco Ramon was no idiot. 

 

Barry coughed nervously. “Thanks for the rescue.”

 

“Sure, man,” he replied. “I guess we owed you since you saved Iris from Zoom.”

 

He sighed. “I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone about that being me.”

 

Cisco frowned. “Why not, dude? You’re a freakin’ superhero! A badass one.”

 

“Because...I’m not really supposed to be doing it anymore. If my dad were to find out, he’d flip out.”

 

Cisco’s eyes widened, body shaking with excitement. “Dude, is your dad Batman? Is Bruce Wayne the Batman?”

 

“Wow,” Len drawled, “you were right. People do make that jump fast.” 

 

Barry shot him a look as he shushed Cisco. “Okay, yes, but you can’t tell anyone about that either. I promise you, I will explain everything, but not here and not now. Just please...keep this between us.”

 

Cisco scrunched up his face in thought. “Fine. But you have to tell Iris.”

 

“Fine, I will,” he agreed. 

 

“Good.” Cisco grinned like a maniac, and Barry shook his head with a laugh. 

 

\----------

 

Iris crossed her arms over chest. “So, he’s back.”

 

Caitlin, Cisco, and Joe all stood around the dining table at the West house--their planning hub against Eobard Thawne. 

 

Cisco nodded. “Last time we went against Grodd, he called Wellsobard ‘Father’. Probably because he’s his creator.”

 

“And Grodd protected Wayne from him?” Joe asked. “Why would Well-- _ Thawne  _ want to kill him?”

 

Iris frowned. “Remember what he told me when he was locked in the pipeline? I asked why he’d done all that he’d done, and he said…”

 

“It wasn’t personal,” Joe finished for her. 

 

“Exactly. Something about Barry Allen being his real target, but the timeline was confused. He had such hate in his eyes when he talked about him.” She still remembered the sweet, nerdy kid she knew growing up. The one who watched his mother die, only to be shipped far away from everything he ever knew. 

 

Joe shrugged. “Maybe Grodd got confused? Both their names are Barry, and Barry Allen grew up here.”

 

“Maybe…” Iris said. “Did you ever track down anything on where Barry ended up?”

 

Joe shook his head. “Someone put a lot of work and money into hiding his records. He went into foster care, but after that, everything is locked up tight as a drum. There’s no record of a ‘Barry Allen’. It’s like he just fell off the map.”

 

“Have you tried talking to his dad?” Cisco asked. “Didn’t Wellsobard get him locked up in Iron Heights?”

 

“Yeah, but he’s been refusing visitors for over ten years. I’d need a court order or something to get in, and if I could get that, I could just get the records unsealed.”

 

Caitlin furrowed her brow. “Why would Henry Allen refuse visitors?”

 

Joe chuckled humorlessly. “I always thought he was nuts. Barry said there was a lightning man. Henry said the same thing. I never thought they could be telling the truth.” He sighed and hung his head. “At his hearing, Henry came to me. He was frantic, making me promise that I was going to take care of Barry. Kept saying that the lightning man was going to come back for him, that, before he’d knocked Henry out, he’d told him that he would kill Barry.”

 

Iris covered her mouth in shock. She’d never heard this part of the story. 

 

“I thought he was setting up some insanity plea or something. I didn’t believe him. Then, almost twelve years ago, Henry had a private visit with a lawyer named Thomas Malone. I checked and checked again. There’s no such person. After that visit, Henry refused to see anyone.”

 

“You think Wellsobard was that lawyer?” Cisco asked. 

 

Joe sighed. “I don’t know what to think. I do think that ‘Thomas Malone’ knows where Barry Allen is and how to find him. If we can find him, we can find Barry and protect him from Thawne.”

 

“And what about other Barry?” Caitlin asked. “What do we tell him?”

 

“Nothing yet. This needs to stay between the four of us.”

 

The four conspirators nodded in agreement, sealing their pact of silence. 

  
  



	17. Savagery

The next few weeks were strange. Barry flew out to Qurac with Grodd to make sure he was settled and happy, spending about ten days getting acquainted with the Logan family and making sure they understood the importance of caring for Grodd. 

 

Turns out, he had nothing to worry about. Marie and her son loved animals with all their hearts, just like his father always told him. They were even vegetarians. They had a house built for Grodd about a mile from theirs, and Barry knew he was going to love it there. 

 

When he left, the gorilla made him promise to visit more. It may have been strange, developing a friendship with a gorilla that kidnapped him, but kindred spirits were found in the most unlikely of places. 

 

Len kept him updated on their investigation while he was gone. Apparently, Black Mask was in the wind after an incident involving the Joker, where he tried to burn Sionis and his goons alive after he broke the clown out of prison. GCPD believed he was heading south which, if Mika Santini was to be trusted, supported that he might be in Central. 

 

He didn’t know why Black Mask would want to replicate some of the serums except to sell them on the street, but he knew as well as anyone else that Gotham’s craziness should stay in Gotham. He was a maniac, but he wasn’t a stupid one. 

 

So far, Len had no leads on where Sionis could be hiding or what his intentions were.

 

The flight back from the Middle East was long and exhausting and Jesse was the one who picked him up from the airport to drive him home. He rested his forehead on the window, eyes drifting closed. 

 

He hadn’t even realized he’d fallen asleep until he felt arms around him. When he peeked an eye open, he saw that Jesse was carrying him up to his apartment. He knew he should wonder how he had a key, but at the moment, he was too tired to care. 

 

He let his eyes drift closed, sighing when he felt himself being laid down on his bed and tucked in. He thought he felt a kiss on his forehead, followed by a whispered, “I just want you to be happy, Bare.” 

 

When he woke up, it was morning, and he had to go into Wayne Enterprises for work. Taking almost two weeks off from work, he needed to go back to the office and fill out some paperwork. Somehow, it was therapeutic, doing the menial work behind running part of a company. 

 

After half an hour of signing papers and reading over contracts--he was so glad that he’d decided to triple major with chemistry, business, and law--Caroline knocked on his door. He waved her in with a smile. 

 

“Sorry to disturb you, Barry.” People didn’t call him ‘Mr. Wayne’ or anything like that. He was always ‘Barry’. 

 

“You’re not.” He finished off the powdered donut he’d bought on the way in and brushed off his face. “Anything to distract me from reading over Rupert Thorne’s proposal. I’m starting to understand why businessmen keep decanters of alcohol in their offices. I could use a drink.”

 

Caroline laughed, but Barry could see there was something wrong. “Has something happened?”

 

Caroline worried her lip. “The CCPD are here. There’s a detective named Joe West. He has a warrant to check all our files. He also wants to talk to you.”

 

Barry clenched his fists. This is not how he wanted to be reunited with Joe. “Have someone bring up the warrant for me to look over. Then, call Jesse Reese and tell him the situation. Tell him he needs to come down here as soon as possible.”

 

“And Detective West’s questions?”

 

Barry blew out a breath. “Tell him that, if he has any questions, he can put them through to legal. Unless he’s deciding to charge me with something.” 

 

Caroline nodded and hurried out the door. The second she was gone, he pulled out his phone and dialed Len. 

 

He picked up on the second ring.  _ “Scarlet. Wasn’t expecting your call this early. How was the flight?” _

 

“It was fine, but not what I’m calling about,” he replied. “I think that the CCPD know about the break-in. Or at least that the weapons are on the street.” 

 

He sat at his computer and pulled up an email sent from Caroline of a picture of the warrant. He cursed. “They have a warrant to see the vault and to seize all of our ledgers and assets.”

 

_ “Calm down. They think that you’re selling Gotham weapons illegally. You’re not, so you should just cooperate.”  _

 

“I know that. I went to law school,” he hissed. “The problem is that a) we’ve been running a side investigation instead of calling the police, which is suspicious, and b) we don’t know if maybe someone in here  _ did. _ ”

 

_ “You’re going to be okay. I’m going to make a call and see if that helps, alright?” _

 

He frowned, not knowing what Len was planning, but he trusted him. God help him. “Okay. Thanks.” 

_ “Anytime. See you soon, Scarlet. _ ”

 

The line went dead. Barry heard someone yelling that sounded an awful lot like Joe getting closer from the hall. This was it. He was going to see Joe, Joe was going to know who he was, and…

 

And what? He was going to pretend like he still cared about Barry Allen, a kid he hadn’t seen in over a decade? He was going to give a shit? 

 

Panic settling in his chest, he ran to the wall to his right and placed his hand on one of the large tiles. The section of wall beside it slid away and he ran inside. 

 

The fact there was a mini Bat Cave in his office probably wasn’t the healthiest thing, but it gave him an opportunity to keep an eye on things from his cameras. Joe came barging into his office seconds after the door closed behind him, Caroline on his heels.

 

“Where is he?” he demanded angrily. He could tell that Caroline was just as confused as Joe, but she hid it well from the detective. 

 

“I told you that Mr. Wayne is unavailable for questioning. You’ll need to contact our legal department if you have any questions.”

 

“I don’t care how much money he has,” Joe growled. “He’s going to answer for this.” He held up a newspaper and Barry zoomed the camera in enough to read the headline. 

 

**_BREAK OUT FROM IRON HEIGHTS-- GUARDS THROWN INTO STATE OF FEAR_ **

 

Barry closed his eyes. Scarecrow’s gas. Black Mask was already starting their plan. They didn’t have much time to stop him. The CCPD weren’t even  _ looking  _ for Sionis, though. 

 

About that time, Iris came storming in with Jesse running up behind her. 

 

“Dad, what are you doing?”

 

Joe rounded on his daughter, but Barry could tell he was unsettled by her appearance. “My job. James Jesse, Mark Mardon, and Henry Allen were all busted out of prison this morning, and it was using gas that can only be found either in Gotham or here at Wayne Enterprises.”

 

Barry’s heart nearly stopped. Henry Allen was broken out. What did that mean?

 

Iris seemed to be thinking the same thing. “Why would someone break Henry Allen out of prison?”

 

Joe threw his hands in the air. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s Wells. Maybe it’s his son, and his life took a different turn than we thought. What I do know is that your friend here knows more than he’s saying. You think it’s a coincidence he just  _ happened  _ to buy STAR Labs, where the Flash is headquartered? That it was his company that Lewis Snart broke into--the same vault that was robbed the next day and he didn’t report it? Then, there’s his connection with Cold…”

 

Barry could see Jesse clenching his fists, and he willed him to stay silent. But Iris was the one who jumped to Barry’s defense. 

 

“He’s done nothing that tells us he’s anything but our friend,” she argued. “I didn’t like him at first either, but Barry’s proven time and again that he’s here for us. Whatever happened, there’s a reason he didn’t tell us.”

 

“Maybe I could ask him why if he didn’t run away like a criminal.”

 

Barry hung his head. He was right. Instead of facing up to things, he ran like always. Some things never change. 

 

He shot Iris a text. 

 

_ Hey, your dad was at Wayne Enterprises today. I had to step out of the office for a bit to call my dad and the CEO of WE to consult with them. Could you tell him that I’ll schedule an appointment with him for questioning when I get back?  _

 

Her phone buzzed, and she pulled it out, a smug smirk growing on her lips. She pushed it into her father’s face. “See? A logical reason for leaving. And he wants to speak with you. You always think the worst, but sometimes, people aren’t hiding things. Sometimes, good people are just good.”

 

That stung a bit. After all, he was lying about pretty much everything, and there was Iris, hanging his innocence on his honesty. 

 

By the time he focused back on the screens, Caroline was escorting Iris and Joe out of his office. Jesse hung behind, waiting for everyone else to leave before walking over to the wall. The door behind him slid open, and footsteps clicked inside. 

 

“Thought you’d be in here.”

 

Barry spun his chair to face Jesse, who was leaned against the wall by the door. “How’d you know this was here?”

 

Jesse rolled his eyes with a laugh. “Because I’m a detective that knows who you are. The chair behind the desk was turned towards this wall like you got up and walked straight over here. There’s a camera pointed right at the door that isn’t listed in the security system. And there’s a powder handprint on the wall and you always have donuts when you’re stress eating.”

 

Barry glanced down at the donut powder still on his fingers and blushed. “You know me way too well.”

 

Jesse grinned. “I would hope so. I was gonna marry you.”

 

For the first time in a while, that didn’t sting. Instead, it felt like an inside joke between them or something. Like they both knew that, no matter how much they had or still did love each other, they would never work out. 

 

“Why are you avoiding Joe West?”

 

Barry sighed. “Remember when I told you about the family that was going to adopt me before Bruce decided to?”

 

Jesse’s eyes widened. “Joe West was the cop that arrested your father. The detective that promised you’d be able to live with him before child services took you away.”

 

Barry nodded and rose to his feet. “I want to see him again. I want to let him know that I made it, that I’m okay. That I found a family that loves me and gave me a future away from being the crazy kid who thinks lightning killed his mom. A family that believed me.”

 

“But?”

 

“But I’ve changed so much. Am I that kid anymore? Am I still Barry Allen?”

 

Jesse snorted and walked over to Barry, grabbing him by the shoulders. “No. You aren’t. You’re not Barry Allen, the eleven-year-old that whose mother was murdered. You’re not Barry Wayne, Gotham’s golden boy and heir to the Wayne estate and company. And you’re not Thunderbird, an angry, vengeful vigilante who won’t admit that his brother’s death was not his fault.”

 

He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Barry’s forehead. “You’re just Barry. It took me a long time to see that, to accept that, but seeing you here in Central makes me feel like I’m seeing the real you for the first time. And being Barry is better than being any of those other people because who you are is honest and beautiful, and Iris loves you and you know what? Joe will, too. You’ve got to give him a chance, though.” 

 

Barry smiled, leaning forward to give Jesse a quick peck on the lips. It didn’t last longer than a second, but both were smiling when he pulled away. “Thank you.”

 

Jesse’s brow crinkled for a minute. “What are you going to do about the breakout and your dad?” 

 

He sighed, all good feelings gone. “I...I don’t know yet.” 

 

\----------

 

Barry spent the rest of the day avoiding Joe and Team Flash. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to talk to them, but he needed time. Time to think, to plan, to access every movement and detail the way Bruce taught him. He hung out in Jitters on his laptop far into the night, until a tap on the shoulder pulled him out of his work. 

 

When he looked up, he realized that everyone else was gone. He’d stayed until closing. He turned to Kendra, who was giving him an amused smile. “You were really into whatever this is.” 

 

He shut his laptop and stretched. “Sorry. When I get working, I just get sucked in.” He slid it into his bag, and Kendra squinted her eyes. 

 

“Wait...you’re Caitlin’s friend, right? The one that comes in to get coffee with her sometimes?”

 

“Yeah.” He held out his hand to her. “I’m Barry.”

 

“Kendra.” She shook it with a laugh. “Barry--you’re the one that told her she should ask me out, right?”

 

“In so few words, I guess.” He shrugged.

 

“Well, thank you. Caitlin is great. I really like her. We actually have a date tomorrow night.”

 

“Awww,” Barry said, throwing his bag over his shoulder. “I’m glad. She’s had a rough time. She’s seemed happier over the past month or so since you two have started dating.”

 

“That makes me feel good.” 

 

Barry started to head for the door but paused when he saw someone already standing there. It was a man in a blue trench coat, with a thick black beard and creepy smile. 

 

“ Masa' alkhayr habi.”  _ Good evening, my love.  _

 

The man’s eyes were locked on Kendra, and Barry pushed her behind him. “Min 'anat?”  _ Who are you?  _ Barry demanded back in Arabic.  _ What do you want?  _ “Madha tarid?”

 

The man looked to Barry with a surprised expression. “You speak Arabic, almost as though you’ve spoken it your whole life.”

 

“I had an expensive education. You didn’t answer my question.” 

 

“Forgive me. Vandal Savage,” he bowed low, throwing the tail of his coat back like a cloak or something, “at your service. I already know Chay-ara.”

 

He looked back at Kendra, who took a step back. Savage tried to follow, but Barry pulled two ring daggers out, blocking Kendra with his body. “Back off.”

 

Savage tsked. “You’re a warrior. I will give you one chance--leave. You shouldn’t mess with the affairs of immortals.”

 

Barry shrugged. “Wouldn’t be the first time. Also won’t be the first time I kicked an immortal’s ass.”

 

Savage sneered, opening his coat to reveal an array of knives. “So be it.”

 

“Kendra, call Caitlin,” he said quickly, practically throwing her over the counter for cover. Savage threw five knives in quick repetition, each aimed at vital areas of the body. Anyone else would’ve been killed instantly. 

 

Barry wasn’t everyone else. He deflected the first two with his daggers, moved out of the way of the third, and dove over the last two, somersaulting into a kick that landed in Savage’s chest. The immortal was knocked to the ground, and Barry landed beside him. 

 

Savage grabbed a knife and stabbed Barry in the thigh, twisting it with sadistic glee, but if he thought that’d get a reaction, he was sorely mistaken. Barry ripped the knife free and threw it to the side while Savage rose to his feet.

 

“More than a warrior,” he said, looking amazed at Barry. “Like Monthu in the flesh.” He lunged at Barry again, like this was the fight he’d always wanted to have. 

 

They sparred hand to hand around the coffee shop, Barry ignoring each strike that Savage made against him and Savage pressing tighter and tighter with each strike. Finally, he had Barry pinned to the wall, a knife pointed at his throat. 

 

“It’s been a pleasure fighting with a truly great warrior,” he said, “but now, it’s time to die.” 

 

He narrowed his eyes, trying to think of a way out. He survived the Court of Owls. There was no way he was going to let himself get killed by some creepy nobody.

 

He made a move to stab Barry through the windpipe...when a shot rang out through the shop. 

 

Savage stumbled back a step. A red stain of blood grew across his chest. He looked up at the balcony above. Barry did the same and was shocked by what he saw. There was a man standing there with a rifle pointed at Savage. He had a red helmet covering his head and a black leather jacket covering black body armor. 

 

The man fired again and again until Savage was on the ground. Kendra rose up from behind the counter, gaping at the scene in front of her, but Barry couldn’t stop staring at his savior. 

 

“Who…?”

 

But the man was already diving out the open window behind him, disappearing into the night. 

  
  
  



	18. The Quiver

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blink and you miss it Injustice joke. 
> 
> BTW, I don't dislike Oliver Queen, which you might think reading this, but he has made questionable decisions and I wanted to make sure that I showed that here.

By the time Kendra and Barry limped out of Jitters, the STAR Labs van was waiting for them, Caitlin and Jay in the front seat. 

 

“Oh my god!” Caitlin exclaimed. “What happened?”

 

Barry threw open the sliding door and practically threw them inside. “Explain later. Just go!” 

 

She didn’t argue, instead putting the pedal to the metal and taking off like a speed demon. Kendra looked to Barry questioningly, probably wondering where he’d learned all those skills. He put a finger to his lips, hoping she’d understand that the others didn’t know--at least, not yet.

 

Thankfully, Kendra was a smart lady, and she gave him a small nod. 

 

Barry blew out a breath and laid his head against the van wall. Who was that that saved him? An enemy of Savage or a friend of theirs? 

 

When they finally pulled up in front of STAR Labs, he still didn’t have an answer, except there was something familiar about him. And when he looked at him, it was like he knew him, that he was there specifically for Barry. 

 

He didn’t know why. He was going to find out who it was, though.

 

—————

 

“Wow, I can’t believe work with the Flash.” Kendra looked over her...girlfriend?...with awe. Caitlin blushed deep red, and Barry resisted the urge to laugh. Jesse, who was stitching his thigh, glared at him. 

 

“What?”

 

“You could’ve died,” he hissed angrily. “You could’ve knocked the guy out and got away with Kendra, but instead you turned it into some gladiator death match.”

 

That caught the rest of the room’s attention, and Barry glared back at him. 

 

“How  _ did  _ you fight him off?” Iris asked, a curious frown on her face. Barry looked at Cisco. Cisco looked at Jesse. Jesse looked at Barry. 

 

“Uh...I do Tae Bo.” He smiled awkwardly. Cisco looked like he couldn’t believe that Barry had hidden his identity this long. Jesse just sighed. “How about we talk about the guy that appeared out of nowhere and gunned him down?”

 

“Was it the guy who took on Zoom?” Iris asked. 

 

“No.” Cisco’s eyes widened, and Barry could see him cursing himself for answering instead of one of the people who’d actually been there. 

 

Iris frowned. “How do you know?”

 

“Because...that guy that saved you doesn’t use guns,” he answered, covering his ass very nicely, Barry had to say. “I mean, if he did, would he have taken Zoom on with knives and tripwire?”

 

She nodded, accepting this, and they moved on with the conversation. “I think we should focus on the guy attacking Kendra. When my dad got to Jitters, the body was gone.”

 

“So he wasn’t lying or exaggerating when he said he was immortal.” Barry sighed. “That’s just...great.”

 

“What did he say his name was?”

 

“Savage. Vandal Savage.” Barry frowned as he said the words. “Why do I feel like I’ve heard the name before?” 

 

He looked to Jesse, who shrugged. “You and your family know more about things that happened in Gotham than we do…” he glanced at the others nervously, “...because you keep up with the history of the town and are more in touch the underground stuff.”

 

_ Nice save,  _ Barry mouthed. “I’ll make some calls. In the meantime, we need to get some kind of protection for Kendra.”

 

“I can call Joe,” Jesse suggested, “maybe get her some police protection? I could even bring in Gordon and some of his men if you want.” 

 

Barry patted Jesse on the shoulder. “Thanks, but this guy was shot multiple times and walked away. I don’t think even the united might of the GCPD and CCPD could stop him.”

 

“What about Snart?” Cisco suggested. 

 

Barry shook his head. “No, he’s running down some leads for me about my company. But maybe the Green Arrow? You guys know him, don’t you?”

 

Iris shook her head. “No, he’s living in Ivy Town. And it’s just ‘The Arrow’.”

 

Barry frowned. “No...there was a whole thing in the news. The Green Arrow in Star City. It was all over the news about a month or two ago. He’s fighting Damien Darhk?”

 

He knew immediately that he’d said something wrong. Iris’ face fell, and she cleared her throat. “Okay...I’ll go call, see if he’s available.” She disappeared in a flash of lightning, and Barry knew. 

 

“That’s her ex, isn’t it? The one who ran off with another girl?”

 

Cisco nodded. “Yeah. He was the one who inspired her to become the Flash. She fell hard for him, but it just didn’t work out. Honestly, she’s too good for him.”

 

Barry raised an eyebrow, noticing the tense way Cisco was holding himself. He was jealous, so jealous that they were enlisting the Green Arrow’s help. He gave a small smile. “What if I called in some help from our…” he dropped his voice so that only Jesse and Cisco could hear him, “...hooded, knife and tripwire wielding friend?”

 

Cisco seemed to relax a bit at that, even though Jesse didn’t seem too happy. “You’d do that?”

 

Barry shrugged. “I’m gonna be here anyway. I may as well make myself useful.”

 

Jesse threw his medical equipment on the floor, startling them both. Without another word, he stormed out of the cortex, leaving them both confused. 

 

“What’s his problem?” Cisco asked. Barry shrugged but knew that, whatever it was, this wasn’t the last he was going to hear about it. 

 

\----------

 

While Iris ran to Star City, Barry, Cisco, Caitlin, and Kendra took the Wayne private jet. He sat in the seat closest to the cockpit while Cisco freaked out over the bar and Caitlin curled up with Kendra. Making sure no one was close enough to eavesdrop, he opened his laptop and logged into video chat. 

 

After a few seconds, Dick’s face appeared on the screen. He smiled. “Hey, little brother. How’re things?”

 

“Not so good. I need your help.”

 

His smile fell. “Like, with a work thing or a ‘work’ thing?”

 

“The second one, kind of.” Barry sighed. “This immortal guy tried to kill a friend of mine. His name is Vandal Savage, and I’m almost positive I’ve heard of him. Do you know anything?”

 

Dick frowned thoughtfully. “The only immortal I know of is Ra’s, though from the rumors I’ve heard, he got deposed by the Green Arrow and Malcolm Merlyn took his place. Other than that, I don’t know. I’ll ask around, though. See if Barbara or Bruce know anything.”

 

Barry bared his teeth nervously. “If you ask Dad, could you just...not mention I’m the one who asked? I’d love you forever.” 

 

“You already do. Don’t worry, I won’t.” 

 

Barry smiled at his brother. He always thought Dick was the coolest big brother ever--he never acted like he thought Barry was lame or weird, always joked and spent time with him, and always had his back, no matter what. 

 

“One more thing,” he said quickly before anyone could hang up. “There was this guy I saw. He saved me from Savage when I was keeping him away from my friend. He had like five guns, was wearing a leather jacket, and had a big, red helmet on. Have any of you seen or met anyone like that?”

 

He thought, just for a second, that Dick paled. But as quick as he saw it, it was gone, replaced by a thoughtful frown. “Nope. I haven’t seen anyone like that. If I hear something, though, you’ll be the first to know.”

 

He sighed. Maybe his savior wasn’t as familiar as he thought. “Okay...thanks. See you at Christmas?”

 

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

 

The call ended, and Barry closed the laptop with a snap, before ducking into the cockpit to take the co-pilot seat. 

 

\----------

 

When they arrived in Star, Cisco and Caitlin took them to the ‘Arrow Cave’, which, honestly, was kind of a knock-off of the ‘Bat Cave’. It didn’t even make sense. Bats live in caves. Arrows have nothing to do with caves. 

 

“Y’know,” he said, looking around at the overly green interior, “you should call this place ‘The Quiver’. Like where you put arrows. That would make a whole lot more sense.”

 

Felicity Smoak’s face lit up. “Oooo, I like it!”

 

“We’re not calling it that,” a gruff voice announced. Barry turned to see Oliver Queen of all people was striding into the room, Iris right behind him. He scoffed. The second Oliver saw him, he froze in place. 

 

“Barry.”

 

“Oliver Queen.” He looked past him at Iris. “I get it now. And, FYI, Cisco is right. You can do better.” 

 

Oliver’s lips pulled into a tight line, and he looked literally everywhere but at Barry or Iris. Felicity broke the awkwardness, running over to hug Iris. “I heard about what happened with Zoom. Are you feeling okay? Of course you are, you’re Iris. How’s Eddie? Have you talked to him? Has he woken up yet? Have you caught Wells yet? Also, how are you friends with Barry Wayne?”

 

“Felicity,” Iris laughed, “one question at a time! I’m fine, Eddie’s still in a coma, Wells is in the wind, and Barry is the new owner of STAR Labs.” 

 

“After all this, we need to get together and have lunch to talk about it all. But  _ first…”  _ she turned to Oliver, “how do you two know one another?” 

 

She looked at Barry, then Oliver, and Barry crossed his arms with a smug smile. “Yeah, ‘Ollie’. How  _ do  _ we know each other?”

 

He never thought he’d see the day Oliver Queen looked so scandalized and embarrassed. Barry wasn’t going to say, though--he wanted to hear Oliver say it. 

 

“Before the island...I was at a party with Tommy. Barry and his brother were there…”

 

“Oh, god,” Felicity groaned. “You didn’t.”

 

“You mean he didn’t come up to me with some busty brunette--who wasn’t the girlfriend he had at the time, by the way--and ask me to join them for a threesome?”

 

Oliver hung his head. “If it helps, I was drunk and don’t remember most of that.”

 

“I bet you remember me calling you a scumbag and pouring my ice water down your pants.” 

 

Cisco choked back a laugh, but Oliver just looked ashamed. “I’m sorry. I admit I was a really...not good person then, but I’m different now.”

 

Barry snorted. “Apparently not that much.” He looked at Felicity, then glanced back at Iris. “Anyway, this is about Kendra. She needs your help.” 

 

He walked off the platform and took a seat in one of the chairs around the edge of the room, giving everyone else room to explain things. His hands were twitchy. He wanted to spin the knife he had in his boot or beat a punching back. Something-- _ anything _ \--to get rid of the excess energy he was feeling.

 

Ever since he was injected with the electrum, that was his life. Too much energy. Too much everything, except pain. Was this why the Talons were nuts? Because they literally bored themselves into insanity? 

 

“Barry!” 

 

He jumped, not even noticing that time had passed and everyone was heading for the door. Iris was in front of him, holding out a hand. “We’re going to Oliver and Felicity’s loft for drinks.”

 

He accepted the hand and rose to his feet. “You sure you’re okay with that? I mean, if you want to go somewhere else--literally anywhere else--where you don’t have to see him pretending like he didn’t say he was in love with you six months ago, I will support and cover for you. I’ll even shoot him in the leg with his own arrow if you’d like.”

 

She laughed like he was joking. He was only kind of. He didn’t like it when people messed with  _ his  _ people. “I’ll be fine. I have you. I have Cisco. I have Caitlin. I feel strong enough to look him in the eye without the threat of murder.”

 

Barry raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

 

“Eh, maybe a little.” 

 

Both shared a laugh as they headed for the elevator, where the rest of the vigilantes were waiting for them. 

 

\----------

 

The second he hung up on Barry, Dick dialed Bruce. At first, he’d thought that Bruce had been overreacting, sending Jesse ahead to keep an eye on Barry. Now, he realized that maybe they hadn’t been cautious enough. 

 

Jason Todd was in Central City.

 

_ “Hello.” _

 

“You were right,” Dick said. “Barry just called. Someone in a red helmet saved him from a guy named Vandal Savage. He shot him, multiple times.”

 

There was silence on the other end. Bruce was probably doing the same thing as Dick--running through their fight with Red Hood. He’d only been there at the beginning when Jason Todd started to take over the drug trade in Gotham and shooting anyone who broke his rules. When he put a damper in Black Mask’s business, they knew they had to stop him before he started something in the streets of Gotham. That ended with Dick nearly getting blown up. 

 

“You don’t think he’d hurt Barry, do you?” he whispered. “I mean, they were best friends. He loved Barry. He wouldn’t try to kill him, would he?”

 

He didn’t know Jason as well as Barry or Bruce--he was Robin after him, once he moved on to become Nightwing--but he’d heard stories. He’d had pranks pulled on him when he came home for visits. He’d seen how devastated Barry was after he died. 

 

He also knew, however, about Jason’s rage. How Bruce had, more than once, had to stop him from beating a criminal to death. Usually, it was child molesters, rapists, and murderers, but there was a darkness in Jason that made him dangerous. Bruce always thought he could shape it into something healthier, something that would help him instead of hurting others. When he saw Barry taking the same path, swearing vengeance and pushing too far, Dick knew that Bruce was afraid for him. 

 

Now maybe they had a good reason. 

 

_ “I got a call,” Bruce finally spoke. “Barry’s been wearing the mask again. He’s in Star City. I’m heading there now.” _

 

“You sure he’s not going to flip out on you?”

 

_ “Doesn’t matter. If he’s going against Savage, he’s going to need help.” _

 

Dick frowned. “Who is he?”

 

_ “Bad news.”  _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JUST SO YOU KNOW: Felicity doesn't know that Oliver told Iris he loves her. If she had, she wouldn't be with Oliver. Just so we're clear.


	19. Revelation

Caitlin and Kendra were sitting together on the couch, the latter leaning on the former’s shoulder. Thea was pouring herself and Iris a glass of wine. Felicity and Oliver were having an argument on the balcony, probably about Iris. Cisco was leaning against the wall, watching Iris and Thea talk as he sipped on his wine. 

 

Barry approached quietly, smiling at how obviously smitten Cisco was. “Okay,” he said, startling him, “so, it’s completely obvious that you’re head over heels in love with Iris. Like, even Jesse knows and it took him six months of me making an idiot of myself to notice I was flirting. The real question is why haven’t you talked to her about it?” 

 

Cisco sighed. “I don’t know. It feels like there’s something standing in the way. Something that Wells said.”

 

Barry furrowed his brow. “What did he say?”

 

“That Iris wasn’t meant to be with Eddie or me. She was meant to be with the original Flash, the guy that was supposed to get struck by lightning before Wells changed the timeline. I know he messed everything up and that I should ignore everything he said, but…”

 

“...but you still think about it every time you look at her. I get it. But you need to get over it.” He took the wine glass from Cisco’s hand, took a drink, and stuck it back in his fingers, laughing quietly at Cisco’s offended face. “Do you know why I’m not with Jesse? Why, even though I wanted to jump his bones so bad when he first showed up, I haven’t made any moves since?”

 

He moved in closer, so no one else could hear their conversation. “Cisco, I died. A few months ago, I was run through with a sword. I bled out in my dad’s arms with Jesse crying over me. I was okay with it, at least then. 

 

“But then, I woke up. Jesse and my dad made the decision to use this...thing that saved my life, but it also changed me. Whenever I look at Jesse or my dad, I think about how they made that choice for me. I think about how much I hate them both for it, despite how much I love them. It’s torn us apart. If you keep thinking about Wells every time you look at Iris, you will learn to hate her. You don’t want that, because it hurts. It hurts worse than anything to hate the person you love most. Talk to her.” 

 

Cisco stared at Barry, wide-eyed and jaw dropped. “Damn...no wonder you’re messed up. That actually happened?”

 

Barry shrugged. “Gotham. Shit happens.” 

 

Cisco pushed his wine glass into Barry’s hand. “Here. You need this more than me.” 

 

He laughed, but the feeling was short lived. Felicity and Oliver came back inside, the former fuming and the latter looking thoroughly scolded. She hurried over to Iris, while Oliver took a seat on the couch. Barry’s phone started to buzz, and when he saw the name, he frowned.

 

“I gotta take this,” he said, heading for the balcony. He answered it with a sigh. “Hey, Dad. What’s up?”

 

_ “When were you going to tell me you were in Star City with the Green Arrow and the Flash?” _

 

Barry rolled his eyes. “When it became your business. Did Dick tell you?”

 

Bruce didn’t reply. Barry laughed humorlessly and shook his head. “No. Jesse called and told you. Of course. Because God forbid I do anything without someone ratting on me to my  _ dad _ .”

 

_ “He’s worried about you, Barry. We all are. I understand these are your friends and you’ve become fond of them, but I want you as far away from Vandal Savage as you can get.” _

 

Barry sucked in a sharp breath. “You know who he is?”

 

_ “Someone very dangerous. The League kept an eye on him, and so have I. He’s an immortal psychopath with aspirations to rule the world. He’s nearly impossible to kill, and I don’t want you caught up in whatever it is he wants.” _

 

“He wants to kill a friend of mine,” Barry said. “I’m not letting that happen.”

 

“Too bad it’s not up to you.”

 

He nearly dropped his phone as he spun, finding himself face-to-face with Vandal Savage. 

 

_ “Barry?”  _ Bruce said.  _ “Barry! Barry, what’s happening?”  _

 

Barry didn’t even have time to react, though. Didn’t have time to defend himself before he was being pushed over the side of the balcony. 

 

\----------

 

He was never mentioning it again.

 

Nope. 

 

Not that Vandal Savage had gotten the drop on him, or that, as he fell weaponless with no way of saving himself, a black shape swung down from the roof and caught him. He was dragged back up to the roof, scowling begrudgingly at his savior. 

 

“I had that under control,” he said as they landed on the roof. 

 

Batman huffed. “Sure you did. That’s why you were six stories from splatting on the pavement. At what point were you going to ‘have it under control’? When you hit the sidewalk?”

 

Barry rolled his eyes. “I don’t need your help. I need to save my friends.”

 

He moved for the stairs, but Bruce grabbed his arm to stop him. “You’re not thinking about this. Act as smart as I know you are. How are you going to explain surviving a drop out of a penthouse apartment?” 

 

He paused. “I...I’ll tell them that I fell in one of the other balconies. I don’t know--I’ll think of something.”

 

“Barry,” Bruce warned, “you’re brilliant, but you’re a terrible liar.”

 

“Then what do  _ you  _ suggest?” 

 

He could tell that Bruce was reluctant to respond. Wordlessly, he grabbed a bag Barry hadn’t noticed on the ground and tossed it to him. Barry caught it with a frown. 

 

“What is this?”

 

“I know what you’ve been doing.” So, Jesse told him about Thunderbird in Central. Great. He opened the bag and gasped. 

 

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

 

Bruce sighed. “What I’m saying is that, if I can’t stop you, I want you to be safe. I want to know that you aren’t depending on some out of date suit to protect you. Just...promise you’ll use this and be careful. Don’t take any chances.” 

 

Barry nodded quickly. 

 

“Good. I have more to tell you, but I think your friends need you.” He walked over to the edge of the roof and shot off his grappling hook. “If you need anywhere to hide or regroup, Wayne Manor is open to the Flash, if you trust her.” 

 

For the first time in a long time, Barry felt like his dad was really looking at him. Accepting Barry and his choices and supporting them. “Thanks, Dad.”

Bruce smiled and swung away, leaving Barry to throw on his new suit and get down to the fight as soon as possible.

 

\----------

 

Iris was cursing herself. Savage threw Barry over the edge so fast, she barely had time to yell. When she moved to catch him, Savage threw knives at Oliver, Felicity, Cisco, and Caitlin. She had to choose--and she chose her four friends in immediate danger over the one who might already have been gone. 

 

She ran, grabbing each knife out of thin air and throwing them to they hit the wall instead. She didn’t see the other knife until it struck her in the leg. She went down with a scream. 

 

“Iris!” Oliver and Cisco looked to her, and Savage took advantage to head for Kendra. Thea picked up the slack, grabbing her bow and arrow from where it was stashed under the couch and firing an arrow at Savage’s head. He turned and caught it effortlessly. 

 

Thea’s eyes widened. Iris yanked the knife out of her leg and ran for Oliver’s bow and arrow. When she came back a half second later, Savage was raising Thea’s arrow to stab her. 

 

She gave Oliver his weapon and darted between Thea and Savage. Time resumed, and the arrow went through her shoulder. She hissed but threw a punch at the immortal’s smug face just the same. 

 

“Iris, move!” 

 

She ducked, and two arrows fired from Oliver’s bow. Savage was ready--he avoided them like someone who had been fighting for years. 

 

Then, the impossible happened.

 

A man swung through the window, sending shattered glass all over the floor. Everyone turned to see the man who’d taken on Zoom rise to his feet. 

 

Cisco’s jaw dropped. “Damn.” 

 

She couldn’t blame him. The suit he wore was new. Instead of the hood and domino mask, he had a cowl that wrapped around his chin, slicked-back brown hair hidden in the top. His eyes were blacked out. His jet-black suit hugged his entire body, and there was a cape coming from the back of the cowl, ending at his ankles with spike cuts at the bottom. 

 

The same symbol was on his chest, but now, the lightning stretched from behind the bird and across his chest. 

 

“Thunderbird…” Cisco whispered. Iris frowned, wondering if Cisco came up with the name or if the hero already had it, but it fit. 

 

A greasy smile stretched across Savage’s lips. “The warrior returns. You will not be as lucky this time.” 

 

Thunderbird didn’t reply. Instead, he struck his arms out and two blades extended from his gauntlets. Savage looked positively giddy. Without any more words, they clashed. 

 

It was a flurry of fight moves. Savage went at Thunderbird like a wild man, slashing and punching and kicking, moving in for the kill each time. Thunderbird gave as good as he got, though. He fought with fury, and for a moment, she was sure he’d win. 

 

Then, Thunderbird kicked him back over the couch, near where Cisco was standing. Seeing his own inevitable defeat, he grabbed Cisco and put a dagger to his throat. Thunderbird froze.

 

“This is not over,” he hissed, backing towards the balcony, assumingly to however he got into the apartment. “You have won now, but if you do not bring Chay-ara  to me before midnight tomorrow, he will die.”

 

He disappeared out the door and over the edge with Cisco, and the heroes ran to look over the edge. Both were gone. 

 

\----------

 

Oliver wasn’t happy about Barry (or Thunderbird, since none of the remaining people knew his identity...except maybe Kendra, but she was pretty shaken) following them back to the Arrow Cave. Iris had insisted though, and Barry could see that he wanted to appease her, if for no other reason than to make sure she wasn’t planning to run him to the Arctic and leave him there. 

 

When they stepped inside the Arrow Cave, Iris froze in place. “Oh my god...we forgot Barry!”

 

He tried not to be offended it took them that long to remember him. 

 

“I need to go back. Maybe he made it somehow? Like, he fell on a balcony underneath or something?” 

 

“He’s fine,” Barry replied, his voice modulator deepening his voice so he almost sounded like Batman. “He was caught before he hit the ground and brought to the roof.”

 

Iris’ face lit up with relief. “At least that’s one person who’s safe. Someone needs to go back for him and bring him here.” 

 

“He’ll be fine, Iris,” Oliver interrupted. “What we need to worry about right now is Vandal Savage.”

 

“And why he’s after Kendra,” Caitlin added. Kendra took her by the hand lovingly. 

 

“Well,” Oliver continued, “if it isn’t her, then we need to find out who. We also need to find all about Chay-ara, and this immortal stuff. The only time I’ve heard of it is…”

 

“The League of Assassins,” Barry spoke up. Team Arrow all turned to him with various looks of surprise. 

 

“You trained with the League?” Felicity asked. 

 

Before he could answer, the lights went out. In the dark, five members of the League moved into place, posing dramatically on the other side of the room. Watching with the night vision in his new mask, Barry shook his head in exasperation. 

 

Some things never change.

 

The lights came back on. Everyone jumped with surprise, pointing their weapons at the invaders, except for Barry. 

 

“I can assure you, he didn’t.” Malcolm Merlyn smirked, his eyes darting over to Barry. He looked up and down him with disgust, and Barry returned the favor. “Hmmm, one of Al Muhaqqiq children, I assume.”

 

“Didn’t Oliver have to  _ give you  _ the title of ‘Ra’s al Ghul’?” Barry shot back. “My dad could have it honestly if he wanted. He’s just too good for all you.”

 

Merlyn tensed, and the men behind him went for the swords. Barry almost wanted a fight. He hated the League as much as he hated the Court of Owls. They’d brought his family so much grief, he was almost glad that Team Arrow broke it. Unfortunately, he knew that the last Ra’s kept the League in order and that Malcolm Merlyn didn’t have the spine or brains to do the same. And, whether he liked it or not, there was a place for the League of Assassins in the world.

 

“Maybe he could have when Talia was there. But, in case you haven’t heard, she was banished long before the last Ra’s was overthrown.”

 

Barry frowned. He wanted to ask more, but he didn’t want to play his hand. Cisco and Kendra were the important people here. He’d worry about all that later. 

 

“Why are you here, Malcolm?” Oliver demanded. 

 

Merlyn narrowed his eyes. “I’m here to help with Vandal Savage. And here to warn you that you can’t save her.” He pointed to Kendra, who flinched back. “If Savage wants her dead, she will be dead. It’s happened multiple times.”

 

Kendra stumbled away. “I...I need to get air.” She hurried out the door, Caitlin on her heels. Iris looked ready to deck Merlyn. Barry couldn’t blame her, but they needed more information. Felicity turned back to the computers to monitor them, making sure that Savage didn’t attack Kendra or Caitlin while they were defenseless. Thea pulled Oliver to the side for a minute. Iris started pacing frantically. Barry couldn’t blame her--the man she might be in love with was in danger and there was nothing she could do except turn over an innocent girl. It wasn’t a good situation. 

 

He walked over to Merlyn. “Is Savage connected with the League?” he asked. “Damien Darhk gained eternal youth and long life that way. Is he the same?”

 

Merlyn shook his head. “He was immortal long before the discovery of the League. His gift has  a more celestial origin.”

 

He tilted his head, and Barry rolled his eyes. “What?”

 

“I’m trying to figure out which one you are,” he replied. “As you know, the last Ra’s kept track of all members, and ‘the Batman’ was his greatest student and enemy.”

 

That made everyone stop what they were doing and turn their attention to their conversation. 

 

“The Batman of Gotham?” Iris asked. “I thought he was a myth.”

 

“He is,” Oliver said. 

 

Malcolm just laughed. “Clearly, none of you have been to Gotham. Except this one.” He nodded at Barry, who was fuming. “The Batman is very real. He’s his student. Or are you one of the strays he took in? I’ve heard he’s fond of that.”

 

“Shut up,” Barry snarled, but Malcolm didn’t seem the least bit intimidated. 

 

“Hmm...You’re not Richard. Last my spies reported, he was in Bludhaven.” 

 

He clenched his fists, anger building inside of him. 

 

“I know you aren’t Jason Todd...that one’s a tragedy.”

 

“Shut. Up.”

 

“You’re definitely not the Commissioner's pretty daughter, that’s for sure,” he continued. “I heard the Joker did a number on her, too.”

 

“I told you to shut up!” He lunged forward, lashing out at Merlyn. He only saw red. Only thought about the hatred he held for Ra’s and his family, a hatred that Merlyn just fed with his callous douchebaggery. 

 

Merlyn wasn’t angry, though. There were shouts from behind him, and the next thing he knew, Merlyn had him pinned to the wall with an arm over his windpipe. 

 

“Ah, you’re the other dead one.” He looked down. Barry followed his gaze, noticing at least four arrows in him--nowhere deadly, but enough for Merlyn to prove a point. “The one who feels no pain. The Talon. Wayne’s little adopted one--Barry, wasn’t it?”

 

His eyes darted over to Iris, and his heart broke when he saw betrayal in her eyes. 

"Barry?"


	20. Broken Hearts and Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot happens in this chapter, but I'm honestly trying to get through the crossover because the next part is going to be SO GOOD and have some Coldflash goodness and some more Jason Todd, and Wally's coming in...
> 
> First, I must get past this.

The League of Assassins must have been slacking in their training. Back when  _ the real  _ Ra’s al Ghul was in charge, Barry would’ve struggled taking down just one of the assassins. As it was now, three of them dropped before they even realized they were under attack. 

 

Malcolm Merlyn drew his sword, and Barry felt a deathmatch starting. Lucky for Merlyn, yellow lightning shot through the room. There was a tug at his core, and the next thing he knew, he was in the elevator with the doors closing behind him. Iris hit the ‘stop’ button, a blank expression on her face. 

 

Sighing, he pressed a button under his ear. The cowl retracted, baring Barry’s face to her. 

 

“You’re the vigilante.”

 

Barry nodded, lowering his eyes in shame.

 

“That’s why you didn’t call the police when there was a break-in at Wayne Enterprises. You decided to handle it yourself.”

 

Not sure where she was going with this, he nodded again. When she moved at him, he flinched. He didn’t know if she was going to slap him, or push him, or yell at him. Whatever she did, he would deserve it for lying for so long. 

 

Instead, though, there were arms thrown around his neck, and he was pulled into a hug. Iris dug her face into his neck. “You saved my life,” she whispered. “You don’t have any powers, and you still faced off against Zoom alone. Thank you.”

 

“Anytime, Iris.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her even closer. “I promise I will help you find Cisco and stop Savage. Then, I’ll help stop Zoom.” 

 

He knew this was the perfect moment to come completely clean. To tell her the real reason he’d come to Central--Batman sent him to spy on her, and he just wanted to see his best friend again. 

 

_ “My real name is Barry Allen.”  _ It would’ve been that easy to say. 

 

At that moment, though, the doors opened and they stepped apart. Oliver was rushing into the elevator. “Caitlin and Kendra are under attack. Some guy with hawk wings.”

 

Barry extended his cowl again to cover his face. “Let’s go.”

 

\----------

 

Had it not been for Iris running to catch up with the Hawkman and Barry having the smarts to hook a grappling hook to his ankle and drag him down, he might have gotten away with Kendra. 

 

Barry hogtied him so well, Selina would’ve been proud. When they finally dragged him back to Oliver’s base and threw the man in their cage they kept for criminals, He refused to speak, however, unless Kendra was in the room. 

 

“That’s too bad,” Barry said, “because we don’t typically adhere to kidnappers’ demands. So, for right now, you’re going to talk to us.” He motioned to himself, Iris, and Oliver. 

 

The man’s nostrils flared, but he didn’t reply. 

 

“Are you working with Vandal Savage?” he asked. “Is that why you took her? I saw the way that Savage eyed her in Jitters. He’s obsessed with her in the same way you seem to be.” 

 

“Don’t compare me to him,” the man growled, surging forward at the bars. 

 

Barry raised an eyebrow. That hit a nerve. 

 

“Vandal Savage is a  _ monster _ ,” the man snarled. “There’s no way to stop him.”

 

“We know that,” Oliver said. “What we don’t know is why you thought taking Kendra away from the people protecting her was a smart plan.”

 

“She’s the love of my life. I’m the only one who  _ can  _ protect her.”

 

Iris narrowed her eyes. “Really? Because she’s terrified to leave her girlfriend’s arms because she thinks some mace wielding bird-meta psychopath just tried to snatch her, on top of the knife throwing immortal maniac that kidnapped our friend so we would trade her for him and he can kill her.” 

 

The man frowned. “Girlfriend?”

 

“Way to focus on the important part of that,” Barry deadpanned. 

 

The man shook his head. “Look, we’ve loved each other across the millennia, through over two-hundred reincarnations.”

 

“Malcolm Merlyn said that Savage has killed Kendra multiple times. That’s how he stays immortal, isn’t it? Because there’s no conceivable way to be immortal without some kind of upkeep.” 

 

“You say that like you have experience.”

 

Barry shrugged. “I’ve known some people who have achieved immortality in my time. The question is--how are we going to stop him before he kills you and her?”

 

The man took a step back, a shocked expression on his face. “You...want to help us stop him? Why do you care?”

 

“I don’t give a shit about you,” he said honestly. “I doubt anyone here does. But we care about Kendra, and we’re not letting this guy kill anyone.”

 

“What about your friend he took?”

 

“Guess we’ll have to find a way to save all of you.” He walked over to the cage and opened the door. “I’m trusting you. If you betray us, you won’t have to worry about Savage killing you, because I will.” 

 

He could tell the man believed him. Good. He meant it. 

 

“My name’s Carter Hall...or at least, it is in this life.” 

 

“I’m Barry.” Enough people knew his last name; he didn't need Carter to know it. “This is Iris and Oliver. I promise you that Savage won’t kill either of you tonight, on my life.”

 

He gave a nod and slowly walked out into the main area of the base. 

 

Caitlin and Kendra were sitting in one of the chairs around the platform, curled together. Felicity was typing away on her computer. 

 

When he saw Kendra, Carter’s face lit up. Before he could run to her, though, Iris grabbed his arm. “Slow down there, lover boy. I think you’re laying it on a bit thick. She doesn’t remember you, and you attempting to force her into it won’t help.”

 

He gave her a pleading look but then nodded solemnly. “It…” he stuttered like he was trying to find the right words. “It’s nice to see you again.”

 

Kendra frowned, and a heartbroken expression passed over his face. “You don’t remember, do you? That’s why Savage wants to kill you right now--you haven’t Emerged yet.”

 

“Emerged?” Kendra asked. 

 

Carter nodded. “When you come into your powers--when you Emerge--you’ll remember our shared past and gain your powers. Powers like mine.”

 

“Like wings and flying?”

 

“And strength, durability, a little speed but nothing like The Flash.” He sighed. “You’re going to be amazing. You always are.”

 

She smiled kindly at him, and Barry was pleased to see that it was enough for now.

 

“Okay,” Oliver announced, gathering everyone’s attention, “Savage said we have until midnight tomorrow to deliver Kendra to him. He doesn’t know we have Carter, so that gives us an advantage. He didn’t say where, so I’m assuming he’ll find us. We need to make a plan and find him first. Felicity?”

 

“On it.” The blonde turned to start inputting some kind of logarithm. 

 

“I’m gonna head out and get us all some food,” Barry said. “My treat. We’re no good to anyone if we’re starving.”

 

“That’s true,” Iris agreed. “I haven’t eaten in hours, and I have to have so many calories.” 

 

Barry nodded. “I’ll head out.” 

 

Thea frowned. “Umm, what about--?” She motioned to his outfit. 

 

Barry’s eyes widened. “Oh! Right.” He pressed a button on his gauntlet, and the entire suit retracted into them, leaving behind his jeans and shirt he’d been wearing before. 

 

“That’s so fracking cool,” Felicity whispered. Barry had to agree. Lucius, Alfred, and Bruce had outdone themselves. Winking in her direction, he headed for the elevator and out the door. 

 

\----------

 

His phone rang as he walked back to the Arrow cave, a stack of pizzas balanced on one arm. He smiled when he saw Len’s name on the screen. 

 

“Hey,” he said. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

 

_ “Haven’t heard from my beautiful Scarlet in a while,”  _ Len replied. His voice was light.  _ “Wanted to make sure everything was alright.” _

 

“Well, I’m in Star City with Team Flash because some immortal psycho is trying to murder Caitlin’s girlfriend. Oh, and Malcolm Merlyn told everyone my secret identity and Cisco’s been kidnapped.”

 

_ “Damn. Do you need me to head out there? I could drive through the night.”  _

 

Barry laughed fondly. His heart skipped thinking that Len wanted to come, not to ‘protect’ him, but to  _ help  _ him. To be there for him in any way he could. “I’m okay, Len. We’re handling it as best we can. Besides, my dad was here earlier, and if I know him as well as I’d like to think I do, he’s on standby.”

 

_ “As long as you’re sure.” _

 

“I am. Thanks.” He paused, wanting to say more, to hear Len’s voice some more, but not knowing what else to say. “After I come back, maybe we can do something. Something that doesn’t involve masks and cold guns.”

 

There was a chuckle on the other end.  _ “Really? Because I can think of all sorts of fun things to do involving those.” _

 

He laughed again and shook his head. “What kind of guy do you take me for? I haven’t even been properly wooed yet.”

 

_ “Clutching your pearls at the insinuation?” _

 

“Scandalous.” He sighed happily. “See you soon, Len. I promise.”

 

_ “I’m holding you to that.” _

 

When they hung up, Barry felt all floaty and nice. Then, it all came crashing down--as did the pizzas--when something grabbed him from behind and slammed him against the wall. 

 

Savage shoved a knife as close to Barry’s windpipe as he could without puncturing it and sneered. “Tell your friends that my timeline has changed. Bring Chay-ara to the church on 3rd street by 3 am, or your friend dies.”

 

Without another word, he took off, leaving Barry shocked and a bit shaken. 

 

\----------

 

Barry was practically running when he came into the base, foodless and frantic. Iris knew that if he was upset, something really bad happened. 

 

“What is it?”

 

“Savage found me,” he panted, doubled over with his hands on his knees. Iris suspected it was an act more than him actually being winded, one that had become subconscious to avoid people wondering why he was in such good shape. 

 

Everyone’s attention was now on Barry as they gathered around to hear about his encounter. Kendra squeezed Caitlin’s hand. “What did he do to you?”

 

Barry shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. “I’m fine. He stepped on our pizzas, which cost like $80, but I’m rich, so…”

 

“What did Savage say?” Carter cut through his rambling. 

 

“The exchange has moved up. We now have,” he glanced down at his watch, “less than three hours. He wants us to meet him and Cisco at the church on 3rd. He didn’t mention Carter, so I think we still have the upper hand with that.”

 

Kendra looked like she was about to panic. Carter didn’t seem like he was in a much better place. The energy of the room went from casually optimistic to anxiously pessimistic. 

 

“Guys!” Oliver called out. “It’s going to be okay. We’ve been in tighter spots than this. We’re going to save Cisco and stop Savage.”

 

“How are we going to stop someone that’s immortal?” Caitlin asked. “I don’t think any of the arrows in your quiver are equipped for that.”

 

“We have to do  _ something _ ,” Carter argued. 

 

“What do you suggest then?” Iris asked, crossing her arms. “I mean, you’ve fought him.”

 

“He’s also lost every time,” Barry pointed out. 

 

“Regardless…” Iris continued, “I’ve always been taught you learn more from failure than success. So, using all the knowledge you have about how he fights and how he’s killed you, what would you suggest?” 

 

Carter pursed his lips and began to plan. 

 

\----------

 

Barry volunteered to be the one to lead  Kendra into the church. Savage seemed to be more interested in him than any of the others, so he thought that it would take his attention from anyone else who could be around.

 

He came in his costume, but with the cowl down. Kendra walked freely beside him, no shackles or cuffs. If this didn’t work, she’d already said she’d be willing to die if it meant Cisco wouldn’t. 

 

Barry wasn’t going to let that happen. 

 

“Ah, Chay-ara,” the immortal greeted. He was sitting at the altar in some grant chair that mimicked a throne, and Cisco was cuffed on the floor at his feet. “And Monthu. We continue to cross paths.”

 

“Let’s hope that ends tonight,” Barry replied stiffly. “I brought Kendra. Let Cisco go.” 

 

“Don’t do this, Kendra,” Cisco said. “Don’t give your life for me.”

 

Savage kicked him hard in the back, and Barry had to force himself not to run at them. 

 

“We’re doing as you ask,” Barry interjected. “Kendra is willingly walking over to you. Send Cisco over at the same time.”

 

Savage narrowed his eyes and nodded. Taking a deep breath, Kendra walked towards her death. Cisco was thrown by Savage in Barry’s direction. Cisco got to Barry before Kendra made it to Savage, and he gave the balcony above a small nod. 

 

The hairs on Barry’s arms stood on end. He ran for Kendra as fast as he could while yellow lightning carried Cisco away. He raised his cowl as he tackled Kendra to the floor, covering them both with his cape.

 

That’s when the bullets and arrows started. Barry didn’t dare raise his head, but he cautiously took a peek at what was happening. 

 

Team Arrow was in the balcony, weapons aimed at Savage as they laid it into him--arrows shot by Oliver and Thea. Someone named Dig that showed up was unloading magazine after magazine into him. Even Felicity was there with a gun, though she was hidden behind Oliver.

 

Savage flinched and twitched as each shot embedded into his skin. Then came the shattering of glass. The guns and arrows stopped as Carter came swooping in through the window, mace raised, ready to kill Savage. 

 

When Barry saw the smile on Savage’s face, though, he knew they’d just made a big mistake. He drew a dagger and held it in front of him. Carter didn’t see it until it was too late to slow down. He ran right into it, the weapon going into his stomach. 

 

There was a small choking sound as Savage dropped Carter to the floor. Something misty left Carter and went into Savage, and Barry knew the Hawkman was dead. Kendra screamed and scrambled over to his body, Barry following as quickly as he could.

 

Savage turned to Team Arrow and pulled a gun from his coat, firing up at them in return. Felicity, Thea, and Dig ran back out of the balcony, but Oliver shot a grappling arrow and slid back down to the ground.

 

“Such a terrible fate, isn’t it?” Savage said with mock grief. “Don’t grieve, however. All of you will be joining him.” 

 

He made a move at Kendra, but Barry blocked it with his cape. Once again, Savage and Barry started their dance, but this time, Savage was stronger, sprier. He got the upper hand quickly, slashing down at Barry with the same dagger he used to kill Carter. 

 

There was a gasp from Oliver and Kendra, but Barry continued fighting, knocking the dagger free and kicking Savage back. The immortal didn’t seem deterred, however, and it wasn’t until Barry saw the knife in his stomach he understood. The dagger was magical. It went right through the super-strong fabric. It was in his stomach, probably puncturing internal organs.

 

Still, however, there was no pain. 

 

He sighed, feeling just a bit bummed out as he stumbled back a step, then another. There was a bright yellow light, followed by a yell, and when he fell back, Iris was there to catch him. 

 

He needed to remove the knife. But would the electrum repair the internal damage before he bled out? Did he need a doctor before he removed it?

 

There was a dark laugh that echoed through the church. Not the worst laugh he’d ever heard, but also not the one he’d always assumed would be the  _ last  _ he ever heard. He glanced to the side, and Savage was pushing to his feet, drawing more daggers. He was going to kill all of them, just like he killed Carter. 

 

Suddenly, something metal and cylindrical, like a can, rolled between them and Savage. There was a bat logo on the side. Smoke erupted from both ends, knocking Savage back and buying them time. 

 

Stronger hands than Iris’ lifted him up, and he was carried out of the church and sat in the front seat of a car. His vision was going black by that point, but for some reason, he knew he was going to be okay. 

  
  



	21. Gotham

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mostly, this and the next chapter is setting up Savage's defeat. Then, we can move on. 
> 
> BTW, kudos if you know who our special guest in this chapter is.

When he woke up, he instantly knew he was safe. There were stalactites far above him with bats circling and nesting around them. There was a steady beeping nearby. He could smell the water from Wayne Creek. 

 

“I’m home.”

 

Steady footsteps came close to where he was laying, and he knew before he saw them who was with him. “Hey, Alfred.”

 

The butler stepped into Barry’s vision with a small smile. “Good evening, Master Barry. Good to have you back, even with the blood loss and injuries. Of course, that seems to become a common thing here.”

 

Barry smiled back and pushed himself into a sitting position. His shirt was gone and his stomach was wrapped up with bandages. “How bad was it?”

 

Alfred paled, and that old guilt came back. “That bad, huh?”

 

Alfred sighed. “Let’s just say that, had it not been for the serum you were injected with a year ago, you may not have survived this time either.” 

 

Barry flinched. He hadn’t meant to make people worry about him. Without pain, it was hard for him to tell when he pushed himself too far or when he needed to pull back. He wondered, vaguely, how long it would be before the effects of the electrum wore off, or if it’d changed him on a molecular level. Bruce hadn’t been able to figure it out, and the thought still bothered Barry, especially when his want for more grew every day. 

 

“What about everyone else?”

 

“Your friends are upstairs,” he answered. “Mr. Queen was rather reluctant to stay, but Ms. West seemed to convince him. I apologize for your friend not making it.”

 

Barry shook his head. “He wasn’t my friend, really. I’d just met him...but I promised Savage wouldn’t get him or Kendra.”

 

Alfred laid a hand on his shoulder. “Would you have given your life if he could live?”

 

Barry gave a small nod.

 

“That’s all anyone can ask of someone protecting them. It wasn’t your fault. And, to be blunt, I’d much rather have you around, sir. I believe we’ve become fond of you.”

 

Barry laughed, though it sounded a bit hollow. “I would hope so.” He kicked his legs off the bed and sighed. The last time he’d been in here, he and Bruce were arguing. Not even over something important, like the electrum or Thunderbird. It was over where Barry was going to live when he was in Central. Barry wanted an apartment in the city, and Bruce wanted him to have a corporate apartment in Wayne Enterprises. 

 

What if that’d been the last conversation he ever had with his dad? He wasn’t the only one at fault when it came to their relationship--Bruce was too overprotective and crossed some lines--but he never compromised or listened to what Bruce had to say. 

 

He rose to his feet. “They all know my identity, and everyone else’s.”

 

“I know.” Alfred nodded.

 

“What do I do?”

 

The butler sighed. “I would say...trust them. You have a good head on your shoulders. If you’ve trusted them this far, they’re probably trustworthy.”

 

Barry hugged Alfred, remembering the first time he’d done so. 

 

It was when he was in sixth grade and Barry had been taunted at his private school for being adopted. When he came running home, Bruce wasn’t there, but Alfred had seen his tears and came rushing to his side. Barry immediately threw his arms around Alfred’s neck and cried. Alfred had startled like it’d been so long since one of the Wayne family had full-on hugged him. Ever since then, Barry never shied away from hugging Alfred, who always returned it fondly.

 

He did the same now. “I believe you have friends waiting on you, Master Bruce,” he said, pulling away. “I have clothes laid out for you. Your friends are having tea in the sitting room.”

 

He turned and walked out, leaving Barry alone in the Bat Cave. He threw on the clothes Alfred left for him--grey t-shirt, red jacket, and black jeans--and headed for the door. He paused as he passed the mannequins. There was Dick’s Robin suit, the first Batman suit, the current Batman suit. He smiled when he saw that his first Thunderbird costume had a place. Finally, there was Jason’s Robin suit, separate from all the others. He sighed, touching the glass thoughtfully. 

 

When his mom was murdered, Barry thought it was the worst pain he’d ever feel--to have his mother ripped away from him, to have his father locked away for it, for the whole world to call him crazy or a liar. 

 

When Jason died, though, it hurt worse than he could describe. He was tired. Tired of people dying because he couldn't protect them. Tired of watching people get murdered while he lived on with the pain. 

 

He wondered if Bruce felt that way sometimes. He’d watched both of his parents die. He’d carried Jason’s body from the wreckage of the explosion. He’d carried Barry’s dead body back to the Bat Cave. That wasn’t including all the other deaths he’d witnessed over the past twenty years as Batman. 

 

Maybe that’s why he’d saved Barry against his will. He couldn’t bear to lose anyone else. 

 

He headed up the stairs and into the upper levels--aka Wayne Manor. 

 

Oliver, Iris, Cisco, and Kendra were sitting on the couches in the sitting room, drinking the tea Alfred had provided. When they saw Barry walking in, all four of them jumped up. 

 

“Oh my god, you’re okay,” Iris said, rushing over to throw her arms around him. “I thought...I mean, your dad said that you would be okay, but I was so worried.”

 

“I’m alright, Iris,” he said. They pulled away, and he smiled at the other three. “How long have I been out?”

 

“A few hours,” Cisco replied, scooching so that Barry could sit beside him. “Your English butler told us to wait here until you woke up. Dude, could your family be more of a stereotype?”

 

Barry raised an eyebrow. “Because every rich family dresses up in tights and fights crime in their spare time?”

 

Cisco shrugged. “Everyone’s got hobbies.”

 

Barry laughed, and for a moment, they all acted like they hadn’t just led a man to his death. Then, a solemness fell over the room. 

 

“I hate to be the one to bring the mood down,” Oliver said, though Barry knew he loved it, “but we still have no way of stopping Savage and saving Kendra. It’s only a matter of time before Savage finds us again.”

 

Barry sat back with a frown. 

 

Kendra sighed, rising to her feet. “He’s not going to stop. He’s going to keep coming at me until he kills me and anyone who tries to stop him. He’s already killed Carter, and he nearly killed Barry. I’m not letting anyone else get hurt for me.”

 

“Sit down.” The order was sharp and final. Kendra dropped to the couch, and they all turned to see Bruce standing in the doorway. He wasn’t in the Batsuit anymore, instead wearing his usual turtleneck and dress pants, but he was still intimidating. That is, for anyone that hadn’t seen him blush when Selina Kyle flirted with him. “We’re not giving up. Not when we have a good chance of stopping Savage.”

 

Barry frowned. “How?”

 

Bruce stepped into the room, his presence an authority no one argued. “I’ve been doing some research since I found out about Savage. I reached out to a friend named Jason Blood. He’s an expert on magic and mysticism.”

 

“He’s also sometimes a demon that only speaks in rhyme,” Barry cut in with a smirk. 

 

“...that, too. Anyway, he told me about Savage, how his life force is connected to Prince Khufu and Priestess Chay-ara, two lovers in Ancient Egypt he murdered in a jealous rage, before being struck by a meteor of Nth metal. It’s what made him immortal, and what connected them all.”

 

“He called me Chay-ara,” Kendra said. “So that’s why he has to kill me and Carter.”

 

“Exactly.” He gave her a short nod. “From what Blood tells me, the only person who can kill Savage is Chay-ara-- _ you _ \--and the only thing that can end him is one of the artifacts that were affected by the Nth metal.”

 

“Let me guess,” Barry spoke up, “you just happen to know where one is.”

 

“I didn’t say that,” Bruce replied, though Barry could see a smirk threatening to appear. “However, I do know that there’s an exhibit at the Gotham Museum that Jason is curating with artifacts from the Middle Kingdom, where he said we could look and borrow some things if we need. You need to come with me, though.”

 

Barry narrowed his eyes. “It’s because he’s nicer when I’m around, isn’t it? It was one date that we never even got to go on.”

 

“He’s still easier to be around when you’re there. Especially when his other half decides to appear.”

 

Cisco looked to Barry. “Is there anyone you haven’t gone on a date with?”

 

“Oh my god, there are only three you know about! How many dates have  _ you  _ been on, Cisco?”

 

“None that turn into demons.”

 

Touché. “Fine,” he told his dad. “I’ll come, but none of this is going to matter if Kendra doesn’t get her wings.”

 

“Shall I try ringing a bell?” Alfred asked, striding into the room to take the tea tray. 

 

Barry turned to Cisco, Iris, and Oliver. “My dad and I will go to the museum, but you three have to get her to Emerge. If you don’t, nothing we do is going to matter.”

 

Iris gave a nod. “We will.” 

 

He believed her. He believed that she and Cisco and, yes, even Oliver, wouldn’t let Kendra down. He wouldn’t. 

 

“We’re going to avenge Carter and take down Savage,” he said. “He’s the only one that dies today.”

 

\----------

 

It always felt dreary in Gotham. The river carried a fog that lingered over the city, covering it with an ominous aura that intimidated tourists. When he first moved there, it used to bother Barry. Now, it was more of a comfort than the brightness of Central. 

 

He and Bruce climbed out of the Lamborghini, letting the museum valet take it somewhere the tires wouldn’t be stolen. When they walked inside, Jason Blood was waiting for them. 

 

He was centuries old, but he still had the appearance of someone in his late twenties or early thirties, with the exception of the streak of white that cut through the front of his red hair. He told Barry once that he was a knight of Camelot in the 6th century, tricked by Morgan Le Fay and cursed by Merlin for his foolishness to carry the demon prince Etrigan with him for all time. 

 

It wasn’t the weirdest thing someone told him while trying to get a date with him. 

 

“Hey, Jace,” he called out. 

 

When Blood saw Barry, his whole face lit up. “Barry. I didn’t expect to see you here. I thought you were living in Central.”

 

Barry shrugged. “Circumstances forced me to come home. My dad tells me you can help with my history problem?”

 

They all glanced around the lobby, but no one seemed to pay them any mind. Blood nodded. “Follow me.”

 

They slid through a side door, down a hall, and into a private archive room, where a series of artifacts were set out, being cleaned, examined, and logged before they could be displayed. “This is everything that came from the meteor storm that decimated the temple of Hath-Set.”

 

Barry looked over the table, tracing his fingers across the top. There was a gold bracelet, a piece of fabric, a section of a scroll that seemed to be stained in blood, the tip of a spear, and a dagger. He immediately went for it, pulling it from its scabbard. 

 

“There’s writing on the side,” he said. “But I can’t read it.”

 

“It’s the ancient language of the priestesses,” Blood explained, stepping up behind him. “The dagger was a gift from Prince Khufu to Priestess Chay-ara. Their love was forbidden because he was royalty and she was a cleric, but it was so powerful, it spanned lifetimes.”

 

Barry lowered his eyes. “Yeah, and now half of it is dead because I couldn’t stop Savage.” He slid the dagger back in with a click. 

 

“I’m almost positive that you did your best, Barry,” Blood argued. “Savage is dangerous. There was nothing you can do. But, with that, maybe you can avenge Khufu and keep Savage from killing Chay-ara and completing his task again.”

 

Barry sighed, unconvinced, and Blood leaned over so their eyes met. “Do you need me to summon Etrigan so he can recite a rhyme about how wonderful you are? Because you know he’s already a little in love with you and would take you to hell to rule with him if you asked.”

 

Barry laughed and shook his head. “No, no. I think we can all live without that.” His smile fell. “Savage would know we need this, wouldn’t he?”

 

Blood and Bruce both nodded. 

 

“So why isn’t he waiting here for us? Why is this knife still here? You don’t think that maybe…”

 

“...he’s waiting for you to step out with it so he can take it?” Blood finished for him. 

 

“We need to split up,” Bruce suggested. “He can’t follow everyone.” 

 

Blood furrowed his brow. “I have an idea.” He took a step away from them.  _ “Gone! Gone! -- the form of man. Rise, the Demon Etrigan!  _ “

 

Barry and Bruce both turned away from the bright light. When they looked back, a stout, yellow demon with red eyes stood in Jason’s place. Seeing Barry, he bowed low. 

 

“Lord Barry fair, you have returned,” he said. “What task have you for my concern?”

 

He opened his mouth, unsure of what to reply. He didn’t know why they needed Etrigan. Luckily, his dad held out a hand. “I think I know what Jason was planning. We need your magic, Etrigan.”

 

A smile pulled at the demon’s lips as Bruce unfurled the plan. It was smart and cunning, and Savage would never see it coming. By the end, even Etrigan seemed happy with it. 

  
  
  
  
  



	22. Bats, Thunder, and Savage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the commenter worried about my sleep schedule--I'm on break from school, so I'm trying to get as much done as I can, which involves me staying up into the early morning to give people their daily updates until I'm back in school. Thanks for the concern, though! I love you all.

After the third time nearly falling to her death, Kendra screamed. “I give up. There’s no way I can do this. I don’t even know what’s supposed to happen.” 

 

Oliver and Iris didn’t seem like they were in much better states. The former had a black-eye from where she accidentally knocked him in the eyed during one takeoff attempt. The latter nearly broke her arm when Kendra came barreling into her. There was no way she could do this. Maybe with help from someone who actually knew about ‘Emerging’, but right now, it was all just guesswork. 

 

Alfred, who stood by with a first aid kit, set down his tray and approached Kendra. “Ms. Saunders. If you could follow me, I think I might be able to help.”

 

He turned and headed deeper into the caves, not even looking back to see if Kendra was following. She hurried after him, eager to see what the butler could say or show her that would help. 

 

“You believe that you aren’t meant to be a hero,” Alfred said as they turned down a tunnel. “You believe people like ‘The Green Arrow’ or ‘The Flash’ or even ‘Batman’ and ‘Thunderbird’ are born. That they woke up one day and decided they would dedicate their lives to others. I can’t speak for those two back there, but I can tell you that, for Masters Bruce and Barry, it was anything but clear.”

 

He stopped when they came to a dark cave. He pulled a flashlight out of his coat and flipped it on, raising the light to the ceiling. Directly above them were pieces of cut lumber covering a huge circle in the ground above them. 

 

“When Master Bruce was a child,” Alfred explained, “he fell through that hole. He’d been out playing alone and the ground gave way. He broke his leg and screamed for help, but we’re so far from the house, it was nearly an hour before any of us knew something was wrong.”

 

Kendra opened her mouth in shock. “Oh my god…”

 

“He wasn’t alone,” Alfred continued. “His fall startled the...local wildlife...and soon, the bats came in a swarm. He still has nightmares about it.”

 

“Batman’s afraid of bats?”

 

Alfred nodded. “After his parents were gunned down in that wretched alleyway and he was left near alone in the world, Master Bruce was lost. He wanted to help the people as his father had, but the city was rotten and corrupt. So, when he turned eighteen, he left for ten years. When he returned, he was a different man, one dedicated to a new path. He decided that, instead of allowing the dark to be a place criminals could hide, it should be a place they feared most. So, he became that which terrified him the most.”

 

“Bats.” Kendra nodded. 

 

“Precisely. Master Barry’s story, however, is nowhere near as simple. He, like his adopted father, had both parents taken from him in one violent moment. His mother was murdered, and his father arrested for a crime he didn’t commit. When Batman found little Barry trying to track down criminals by himself for ‘proof of the impossible’ in an attempt to clear his father’s name, he saw a kindred spirit. Barry was always brave and always willing to throw himself in danger for others.”

 

Kendra snorted. “I noticed. No wonder he became a superhero.” 

 

Alfred looked sharply at her, and Kendra realized there was more to the story. “Barry didn’t become a hero, Ms. Saunders. He became exactly what Master Bruce feared, exactly what he tried to stop him from being.”

 

He sighed. “Barry always wanted to be Robin. He begged constantly, but Master Bruce always refused. He saw too much of himself in Barry. He feared he would become Batman...something Master Bruce would never wish on anyone, much less someone he loves. After...after young Master Jason was murdered…” Alfred swallowed hard, “Master Bruce retreated into Batman. Barry was left alone to stew in his guilt and rage. He decided he wanted revenge. He wanted to kill the man who murdered his brother.”

 

“Barry?” Kendra asked. He’d seemed so sweet and light. She could never imagine him murdering someone. 

 

But Alfred nodded. “Try to understand he was an eighteen-year-old boy, who was hurt and felt abandoned, no matter how hard Mr. Fox or I tried to help. One night, he ran out in a mask and black under armor. He came across some criminals and tried to stop them from attacking a young girl. She got away, but Barry wasn’t so lucky. Lucky for him, there are others in Gotham who looked out for him. Catwoman was one of them. She rescued him and brought him home. Bruce was still out, thank the heavens, and she sat Barry and me down in the sitting room. She told me that she planned to train Barry. It was what he wanted, and we both knew that he would go back out, no matter what either of us said. I had Mr. Fox construct a safer costume for him. Catwoman kept her promise. When his father found out, we all stood by Barry. He started channeling that anger towards the Joker into something productive. 

 

“Of course,” he said with a shrug, “that all sunk after his fiancé broke up with him and called him a blackhearted criminal. I still don’t understand how Master Bruce can even look at him after that. He’s certainly not welcome in this house until he apologizes.”

 

“Alfred,” Kendra asked, “what does all of this have to do with me?”

 

He sighed lightly. “Heroes aren’t perfect. They aren’t born--they are forged in fire. Their hearts are diamonds formed from the heaviest pressure they’ve ever known. All they needed was to believe in themselves and listen to those who believed in them.”

 

He grabbed her by the shoulders. “I believe in you, Ms. Saunders. I believe you will stop Vandal Savage. I believe you will live a long, healthy life, fall in love, and move past this darkness. But you must believe that you can do it.”

 

A tear dripped down her cheek, and she stepped into the butler’s arms to hug him. She hadn’t even realized that a pair of hawk wings had already sprouted from her back, framing her like an angel. 

 

\----------

 

Bruce and Barry headed out the door of the Gotham Museum. Barry held the dagger, wrapped in cloth, in his hand. Bruce could feel eyes on them but refused to look back. Savage was close. They were right--he knew exactly what they were planning. 

 

He pushed Barry in front of him as they approached the valet booth. He quickly drew out his ticket and handed it to the man behind it. “It’s a silver Lamborghini,” he said. “You can’t miss it.”

 

The valet’s face was hidden by the shadow of his hat, but Bruce could see a smirk stretching across his lips. “Oh, I won’t.”

 

Without warning, a knife shot out, plunging into Barry’s throat. Bruce stumbled back, shock and horror on his face as his son grabbed at the knife buried in his windpipe. Savage ripped off his hat and stepped on Barry’s chest. 

 

“An...anticlimactic death for such a great opponent.” He bent down and pulled the dagger from Barry’s hands, his eyes darting up to Bruce. “You must be so proud of your son. Apologies that he must die.”

 

“I am proud of him,” Bruce replied, taking another step back. “I especially proud that he has such great ideas. The golem was his brainchild, after all. We were just going to make an illusion.”

 

Savage frowned, his face full of confusion, but when he looked down, Bruce could tell he was furious. Barry was no longer on the ground. Instead, there was just a person shaped lump of clay. When he opened the cloth in his hand, all he found was a steak knife from Blood’s lunch. 

 

Savage yelled in anger, and Bruce took the opportunity to run across the street to where the town car he’d ordered was waiting. When he looked back to see Savage stabbing the clay over and over in fury, he whistled low. 

 

Sore loser. 

 

\----------

 

Barry hated magic sometimes. Sure, it was cool and kind of hot to watch, but he hated magic being done to him. 

 

He clung to Etrigan’s neck as tight as he could, the hellfire swallowing them, only for it to disappear seconds later. His stomach lurched, and his head spun, but when he opened his eyes, he saw they’d been successful. 

 

He and Etrigan were in the Bat Cave. The teleportation spell had worked. Yay. 

 

Etrigan just stood there for a few seconds, holding Barry in a bridal carry while a shocked as hell Oliver and Iris were staring at them. He smiled tightly at them. 

 

“Etrigan,” he said nicely, “you can put me down now.” 

 

The demon startled like he hadn’t noticed Barry was still in his arms and sat him down regally. “Apologies, my prince fair. I didn’t know they should be here.” 

 

Barry shook his head. “That rhyme was a stretch and yes, these are my new friends, Oliver and Iris. Guys, this is Etrigan. His alter ego is the one who gave us this.”

 

He pulled the dagger out of his coat with a smile. “Now, we have a chance to nail the son of a bitch.” He high fived Iris and sat the dagger on one of the tables. When he turned back to Etrigan, the demon was looking back fondly. 

 

“Thank you, Etrigan. And thank Jason for me, too. Without you two, we would’ve been in trouble.” 

 

Etrigan gave a bow. “If ever you need help again, just call aloud for Etrigan.”

 

“I’ll remember that.”

 

The demon stepped forward and did the most human of gestures--kissed Barry’s knuckles, like he was a princess out of a fairy tale. Barry blushed. 

 

“Farewell, my fairest Barry Wayne. I dream of fate returning you again.” 

 

With that, the demon transported away, and Barry shook his head. He missed the craziness of Gotham. Turning back to the others, he ignored their confused looks. “So...where’s Kendra?”

 

“Here.”

 

They all turned to the mouth of one of the tunnels--the one his dad used to access the cave the first time he ever found it--and their mouths dropped open. Kendra was standing there, hawk wings extended, beside a smug Alfred. 

 

“Now,” she announced, “who’s going to show me how to kill Savage?”

 

\----------

 

The rest of the evening was a training session. Oliver ran Kendra through the basics of hand-to-hand, while Barry taught her some cheap tricks that would give her the upper hand if she needed. It was one of the first things Selina taught him. 

 

Cisco and Iris disappeared with Bruce for a few hours. Barry wasn’t sure why, but Cisco had seemed more excited than nervous, so it was probably something good. Barry was a bit excited to see whatever they were working on. 

 

Kendra became more and more comfortable as they trained. She still wasn’t to Barry or Oliver’s levels, but Barry could see old muscle memory from past lives coming through. For the first time since he’d watched Carter die, he had hope they could stop Savage. 

 

They took a break around ten at night, Kendra going upstairs to gorge a tub of ice cream she’d more than earned, Oliver practicing his aim, and Barry using the bat computer to come up with a plan to take Savage down. 

 

“If you’re patient, you won’t have to worry about tracking him down.” Barry turned to see Bruce watching him. “Savage saw my face and yours. It’s only a matter of time before he picks up a newspaper and finds out where we live.”

 

Barry furrowed his brow. “And you’re so calm about that because…?”

 

Bruce walked over and laid a hand on his shoulder. “I think you can do this. You and your friends...you seem to have everything under control. If you need help, Batman is here. But, to be honest, I think that Thunderbird and this team have this. I’m starting to see what you saw in yourself when you put the mask back on.” 

 

Barry snorted. “It wasn’t me that saw it. I was as reluctant as everyone else.”

 

“What changed?”

 

He sighed. “I met someone. He was the first person I saved when I came to Central. Just some garden variety thugs who thought they were tough. Nothing I couldn’t handle. But the way he looked at me then...and then I saved him again from his father, and he knew who I was, he’d figured it out, but it didn’t bother him. He’s a criminal, Dad, and it didn’t bother him. The way he looks at me, even when I mess up, makes me feel like a hero. It makes me want to be the hero that he and Iris think I am.”

 

Bruce nodded. “I’m glad. Not about the criminal thing, but I’d be a hypocrite to argue it. I’m glad that you’re finding yourself again, Barry. Gotham was eating you alive. It’s good at that. Your light’s starting to peek through again.” 

 

Barry smiled up at him and laid his head on Bruce’s hand. “Thanks, Dad.” 

 

An alarm went off, cutting through the moment. Barry cursed. “Someone’s jumped our fence.”

 

“Savage,” Bruce said. “Need any assistance from Batman?”

 

Barry thought about it for a second before shaking his head. “No, we have to do this ourselves.” 

 

He grabbed his gauntlets and the dagger and ran for the stairs, not noticing the proud smile Bruce gave as he left. 

 

“I’m not entirely comfortable lying to him,” Alfred said. He appeared out of one of the tunnels and approached Bruce. 

 

“It’s not lying. It’s waiting to tell him until it’s the right time.”

 

“Master Bruce,” Alfred scolded, “he  _ saw  _ him. Jason was right there, less than twenty feet away. You know Barry as well as I. He won’t let it go. If he finds out on his own, you may never repair your relationship.”

 

Bruce sighed. “I know.”

 

\----------

 

Savage was halfway across the grounds when Barry, Oliver, Iris, and Kendra met him on the grass. Kendra was wearing a new suit, specially designed by Cisco and Bruce to match Carter’s. Her wings were out, and the dagger was in her hand. The others all wore their own suits. 

 

Savage seemed done. There was a raw fury in his eye that hadn’t been there before. Barry saw that he was shaking like his body was beginning to shut down without Kendra’s energy. He smirked, a little pleased with that. 

 

“Give her to me,” he growled, pulling a gun out of his coat and aiming it at Oliver, “or I will kill you all, then everyone in that house, then all of your friends who defied me.” 

 

Barry snorted. “I don’t think so. I’m not afraid of you. None of us are. You aren’t getting Kendra, and you aren’t going to kill any more of us.”

 

When his eyes went to Barry, the fury sparked a wildfire. He turned the gun and emptied it at him. Barry raised his cape, deflecting each bullet without even breaking a sweat. 

 

“You’re starting to lose it, Savage,” Oliver said. He notched an arrow and fired. It struck Savage in the shoulder. The immortal screamed and charged him. Iris ran past, knocking him to the grass. 

 

Savage sliced at her ankles, knocking her down so he could jump up and run at Kendra. Balling up her fist, she nailed him in the nose. Barry kicked out, hitting him in the stomach. 

 

He  _ had  _ to be dying. They were getting way too many easy shots in. At this rate, killing him would be easy.

 

Then, desperation struck. Savage charged Kendra, a long knife in his hand. She wasn’t paying enough attention to see it coming, but Barry was. He tackled her out of the way, taking the brunt of the contact, but turning his body enough to avoid the knife. 

 

Savage raised it to strike through Barry’s face, and like hell was that going to happen. Barry caught the knife just as the tip scraped the end of his nose and death gripped the blade. “Kendra….” he hissed, pushing back as blood dripped down his hands. “Kill him!”

 

“I dropped the dagger!” she said. He glanced over to see her patting the ground for it. Luckily, they weren’t alone.

 

Savage screamed in pain as three arrows went through his back. Barry took the opportunity to push Savage away and roll the other way, gasping as he did. Oliver helped him to his feet. Savage pushed himself up as well. 

 

“Kendra…” Barry said, but the hawk didn’t reply. Shit, shit, shit. 

 

Suddenly, a flash of yellow lightning nearly blinded them. A flurry of light and feathers passed, and the next thing they knew, Kendra was flying through the air at super speed thanks to Iris. She knocked Savage back to the ground, and Barry thought she heard a small, ‘this is for Carter’, followed by the sound of impaled flesh. 

 

It was over. He sighed with relief. Iris fell to the ground on her butt. Even Oliver seemed exhausted. Kendra, however, seemed overjoyed and more alive than she’d seemed in a while. For the first time in thousands of years, Priestess Chay-ara could leave free of destiny and death.

 

\----------

 

They all took the plane home this time. They were worn, tired, and all passed out when they hit the chairs. All except Barry. 

 

His dad had been pretty cool before he left--he’d agreed that Barry shouldn’t spy on Iris anymore, since they both believed her trustworthy, and he promised to stop using Jesse to spy on him. They didn’t hug or say ‘I love you’, but Barry felt it was progress. That’s all they could ask for. 

 

He watched Iris from where he was curled up in his chair. He needed to tell her about being Barry Allen. She’d taken Thunderbird well, but to know he kept yet another secret she had to find out from somewhere else…

 

No. It needed to come from him. 

 

His phone buzzed three times. When he pulled it out, he grinned. 

 

**_From: Len_ **

**_I think I have a lead on Black Mask._ **

 

**_From: Len_ **

**_That was a lie. I just wanted to hear from you._ **

 

**_From: Len_ **

**_Do you want to get dinner? Maybe tomorrow, since you’re heading home tonight?_ **

 

Barry smiled like a fool. He really liked Len. He put on a cold, macho, badass exterior, but there was something so beautiful about the way he softened under Barry’s touch. He made Barry feel safe and loved. 

 

He was about to type a reply when two new messages appeared. 

 

**_From: Unknown_ **

**_Don’t trust Snart._ **

 

**_From: Unknown_ **

**_[file attached]_ **

 

When Barry opened the picture, he nearly dropped his phone. It was of Len, standing in an old warehouse with Mark Mardon, James Jesse, and Black Mask. Behind them, Henry Allen was cuffed to a chair. 


	23. Truths and Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is actually one of my longest chapters, even though it doesn't seem that way. There's some background on the picture and a new character introduced.

Just because he loved a vigilante didn’t mean that Len was going to stop committing crimes. Being a thief is who he was, after all. He’d also made a promise to Barry, though, that he’d get a lead on whoever robbed him. 

 

In his professional opinion, running a job with Ricky ‘Loose Lips’ LeBlanc was the best of both. While being a skilled criminal, Ricky’s nickname wasn’t Loose Lips for nothing. 

 

“So,” Len said as they raided the gallery on Fifth and Main, “you’re from Gotham, aren’t you?”

 

Ricky smashed open one of the cases and pulled out a diamond necklace. “Yeah. What’s it to ya?”

 

Len looked over some of the gold chains and bands, picturing how pretty they’d be on his Scarlet. “I heard that Roman Sionis made his way here to Central. I know you keep your ear to the ground and wanted to know if you think he’ll mess with my business?”

 

Ricky looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. “Why you wanna know shit about Black Mask? The guy’s a total loon--and that’s coming from me, the thug that used to work for the Penguin. He kills anyone who pisses him off and holds grudges like no one’s business. If I were you, I’d stand clear.”

 

Len hummed. He’d already known all that about Black Mask, but hearing it again from Ricky was worrisome. Ricky was a pretty tough cookie. “I heard he robbed Wayne Enterprises. Stole a bunch of bioweapons he’s planning on mass producing. Pheromones, Electrum, Fear Gas, to name a few.”

 

Ricky froze completely. When he turned to Len, his eyes were wide with fear. “No the hell way. Do you know what some nut like Black Mask could do with that kind of shit? He’s a psycho. I mean, yeah, the people who made the stuff and used it ain’t saints, but at least they knew what they were doing. Sionis is a twisted fuck who doesn’t care who he hurts to get what he wants.”

 

“Not if we take him out,” Len suggested. “This isn’t his city.”

 

Ricky snorted and shook his head. “Nah...not me, Snart. I’m not like you an’ Rory. I don’t wanna run cities and lead gangs. I just want to hawk some stolen jewels and survive.”

 

Len left it at that. Even Loose Lips was too freaked to rat out Black Mask. 

 

He didn’t understand why until he got back to his safe house. The metallic smell was the first thing that hit his nose. When he flipped the lights on, he nearly puked. 

 

Ricky LeBlanc’s head was on his dining room table--just his head. He could see something sticking out between the head’s lips and, with a gag, he crossed the room and pulled the paper free from Ricky’s lips. 

 

**_Walton’s Toy Factory, tonight. Midnight. Come alone._ **

**_-R.S_ **

 

So, Sionis knew he was poking around and killed poor Ricky as a message. It lacked an elegance that he was used to in the twin cities, but then again, Black Mask was created in Gotham. If Barry was any indication, things in Gotham tended to take a dark turn. 

 

Barry was still off with the Flash and the Arrow in Gotham, or he would’ve called him immediately. He should’ve texted him, but he also knew that Barry would either tell him not to go without him, or would rush back to Central. He didn’t even know what Black Mask  _ wanted.  _

 

So, he went at it alone. At eleven, he was at the factory, staking it out for any surprises. At eleven-thirty, he took the block, eyeing the building for exits and hiding places. Finally, at eleven-fifty, he headed inside. He shot Barry a text when he headed inside.

 

_ I think I have a lead on Black Mask.  _

 

A red ‘x’ appeared beside it, and he groaned. Stupid cell service. 

 

He wasn’t told to come unarmed, so he came in full Captain Cold garb--the parka, the cold gun, the goggles, and even a handgun tucked in the back of his pants, just in case. He shouldn’t have been surprised by what was waiting for him when he walked in, but he froze in place.

 

Mark Mardon was relaxing against a crate. James Jesse was sitting cross-legged on the floor, ripping the head off a doll. Sitting in a large chair behind them was a man wearing a white suit with an onyx skull mask over his head. 

 

Black Mask. 

 

He rolled his eyes. “I got your invitation. Thanks for that--I wanted Mick to burn that table anyway.”

 

“Action speaks louder than words, where I come from,” Black Mask replied. “If it hadn’t been for Mardon speaking on your behalf, it would’ve been your head. You should be grateful.”

 

Len raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Mardon, who shrugged. “I’ll reserve judgment until someone tells me what the hell I’m doing here.” 

 

“Fair enough.” He motioned for Len to come in. Len was practically vibrating with anticipation. Hopefully, he’d find out enough that he could give Barry good news when he came back. He stepped inside with a ‘hmmph’ and leaned against the crate closest to the exit. 

 

“I’m listening.”

 

Sionis removed his mask, revealing a not at all unattractive face. Not when Len was expecting. He could see the craziness behind his eyes, though, that didn’t let him forgot who he was talking to.  “I’m not here in Central to move in on your territory, Snart. To be completely honest, I don’t want it. All of the criminals are these...metahumans here. Then, there’s that blue lightning monstrosity that’s been running the streets recently. Nah, you can keep that shit.”

 

“Good. Leave.” 

 

“Oh, I will,” Sionis said. “As soon as I take care of some business. I’m sure you’ve heard about the crisis back in Gotham.”

 

Len smirked. “I heard you broke the Joker out of prison, and then he nearly barbequed you and your thugs.”

 

All amusement fell from Sionis’ face. “Not my finest hour, but I’m about to get revenge for that.”

 

“...last I heard, Batman locked the Joker back in Arkham.”

 

A dark chuckle echoed through the room. Sionis shook his head. “Not that crazy clown. The Red Hood.” 

 

He said that like it was supposed to mean something. Len just stared, waiting for some explanation. 

 

Sionis rolled his eyes. “Goddamn, Snart. You run this town and don’t even know you have a gun-wielding maniac running loose. Why the hell do you think I broke the Joker out? This ‘Red Hood’ made a move to take over the entire underground of Gotham, knocking off all my damn drug dealers and gunning down anyone that stood in his way. The only thing that distracted him from that was the Bat and the Joker.”

 

Gun-wielding maniac… “You think this ‘Red Hood’ is here?”

 

Sinois laughed. “Oh, I know he is. And I know how to catch him and kill him.”

 

He reached into his coat’s inner pocket and pulled out a stack of photos. He threw them, making it only halfway across the room. Len sighed. Dramatic asshole. He strutted over to the pictures and gave them a passing glance. 

 

When he saw the subject in one of them, he froze. 

 

It was that night that Barry stayed over. Whoever took the picture had been on the other side of the safe house, away from the window that revealed it being Len’s, but the blinds of the bedroom were open. Barry was asleep in bed, curled up like an angel. He wasn’t alone, though. There was a man standing by the bed. He was wearing a black leather jacket and a red helmet that covered his entire head. He was watching Barry sleep, his hand on his leg. 

 

Len didn’t even realize he’d picked up the pictures until he was flipping through them. To someone just getting surveillance on this guy, the locations weren’t obvious, but to Len, he knew them all. 

 

The shipping yard, where Red Hood was crouched on a storage container. 

 

Ferris Air, where he was lurking around the corner of the hanger. 

 

Jitters, where Barry had faced off against Savage.

 

Near the center of town, where Barry and Iris were saved by Harry Wells. 

 

All connections to Barry. This guy was in town tracking Barry. Somehow, he knew that Barry was tied to Batman. It made him want the freeze this ‘Red Hood’ in his tracks. A larger side of him, though, was thinking about what Black Mask said. 

 

‘Catch him’. 

 

“So, you have a trap planned.” It wasn’t a question, but Black Mask nodded anyway. 

 

“I have the perfect bait.”

 

“Then where do me, Heckle and Jekyll come in?” He motioned to the two Iron Heights escapees. 

 

Black Mask relaxed against his chair. “The Flash, so I’ve been told, has a habit of getting in the way. If she hears that someone’s been taken, especially a philanthropic public figure, she’ll stop our plans before Red Hood even catches wind of them.”

 

Dread settled in Len’s stomach as his darkest fears for Black Mask’s plan were being confirmed. “You want us to distract her while you go about your diabolical plan. But see, I recognize him.” He held up the picture of Barry and Red Hood. “Barry Wayne, as in Wayne Enterprises. The same company someone paid my father to rob. Can’t believe that’s a coincidence.”

 

Sionis tilted his head. “You asking if I paid your pops to rob W.E? Just say it.”

 

“Did you pay Lewis to rob the vault at Wayne Enterprises?” he asked sharply. “Because from what I understand, some dangerous shit was stolen. Shit I don’t want on Central City streets. We have enough problems with speedsters and metas, we don’t need every Tom, Dick, and Harry having access to Gotham weapons, like Venom and Fear Gas.” 

 

That got Mardon’s attention. He perked up and turned to Sionis. “I’m not messing with that shit. Those people are straight up nuts.”

 

“Calm down,” Sionis ordered. “Yes. I paid your dad to rob the place. Because I was paid to get it done and to mass produce it. I’ve done pretty damn well with it so far--it’s going out of Central by the way--I’m just having a hard time with the last weapon. That’ll be over soon, though, and you’ll never have to worry about that Gotham shit again.” 

 

Len perked at that. “Who paid you?” 

 

He knew right then he’d gotten too excited. Too overzealous. Black Mask narrowed his eyes. “Why the fuck do you care?”

 

He cursed himself. Usually, he could come up with a quick lie, but Barry wasn’t wrong about how freaky Sionis was, especially with that dark, craziness lurking just beyond. Luckily, a loud cry kept him from having to answer. 

 

Sionis leaned back and rolled his eyes. “Trickster, can you bring out our other guest? I think he’s getting restless.”

 

James Jesse jumped up with glee and ran into a side room. Mardon, as though by habit, grabbed a nearby chair and sat it between them all. By the time Trickster Sr. came back, there was a hooded man in his arms, his hands tied behind his back and prison uniform clear. 

 

Len frowned as the man was thrown into the chair, but Sionis laughed. “Ah yes, you haven’t met our more reluctant member of the team. This is the man who’s going to help me crack the code of replicating 'electrum'.” 

 

Mardon pulled the hood free. Henry Allen stared back. 

 

\----------

 

**12 hours later…**

 

Barry was sitting alone at a table in Jitters. He didn’t even have cocoa--it was unsweet tea, the drink of sadness and disappointment. 

 

He couldn’t blame Barry for being upset. He also hated that he’d been the one who made him that way. But when he saw Snart with those criminals, when he saw Black Mask plotting with him, he knew he needed to warn Barry about his boyfriend. 

 

Jason took a sip of his coffee, his baseball cap pulled low over his face in case Barry saw him. He hadn’t heard any of the conversation--it was near impossible watching from the rooftop across the street--but if Black Mask was involved, it wasn’t good. He needed to keep a better eye on Barry, now more than ever. 

 

His eyes caught the Christmas tree in the corner behind Barry, and he sighed. It was supposed to be a time of celebrating with the people you love. A time to come together. All he wanted was to sit across the table from Barry and tell him everything. About the League of Assassins, the Lazarus Pit, Talia al Ghul, Gotham…

 

It wasn’t the time. It would probably never be the right time. Jason couldn’t just ruin his brother’s life like that. He could still remember his first Christmas at Wayne Manor, when he was fourteen and Barry was three-quarters past thirteen. 

 

Jason was such an asshole teenager. He mistreated Barry so much that first year. Called him names, pushed him down the stairs, yelled at him constantly, but Barry never seemed to let it get to him. He just took the abuse with a sad smile. 

 

That Christmas, Jason didn’t even want to come downstairs. He knew they were all going to sit around, pretending like they weren’t strays picked up by Bruce Wayne. It was a few months later when he found out the truth about Bruce Wayne’s alter ego, so he just thought that they were some pet project of his or something. 

 

_ “Yes, this is my new one, Jason. He’s a rescue.” _

 

He was already an angry kid, and the thought made him even angrier. He hadn’t expected the small knock on his door, followed by Barry’s shy, “Jason? Are you coming down?”

 

He’d yelled for him to leave, but Barry was never good at leaving things be. He came inside, still in his Rudolph pajamas Alfred bought him, and sat beside him on the bed. 

 

Jason rounded on him, ready to scream, when he noticed a little box in his hand. Curious, he took it. 

 

“It’s not much,” Barry said, “but I thought you might like it.”

 

He’d expected something sappy or lame--a picture of his birth family or a pair of socks he knitted. Instead, the second he opened the box, a cloud of red powder puffed out, covering his face, hair, and shirt in red dust. 

 

Barry erupted into laughter. “That’s what you get for being an ass on Christmas!” 

 

Jason couldn’t help it--he laughed too. The pair laughed for what felt like hours. It was the moment Jason first really understood Barry--the boy who had so much love to give others but never kept any for himself. It was also the first time he’d considered Barry his brother. 

 

It all seemed so long ago. 

 

“You seem like someone with a lot on his mind.”

 

He startled, the voice jerking him out of the memory. At first, he thought that someone had tracked him down. When he looked up, however, he relaxed. The kid in front of him was no assassin or mobster. 

 

He was actually adorable. He had a wide, awkward smile that showed off his dimples, big puppy eyes that probably got him his way all the time, and a jitteriness about him that said he probably didn’t need the coffee in his hand. 

 

“Can I sit here?” he asked, motioning to the chair across from him. “There aren’t really many more options.” 

 

He glanced around, noticing that Jitters had gotten full pretty fast. Either that, or he’d been zoned out for a while. He should’ve said no. Or at least stood up and just let the kid have the table. 

 

Instead, he motioned for him to sit. The kid eagerly plopped into the seat. 

 

“Thanks, man,” he replied, sipping on his coffee. Jason read the side of the cup and shook his head. 

 

“Are you sure you need the two shots of espresso in that thing? You’re already vibrating.”

 

The kid stilled, though Jason could tell it was a struggle. “Sorry. I’m just really nervous, and I thought the more caffeine I drank, the less anxious I’d be.”

 

Jason raised an eyebrow. “You know that’s not exactly how caffeine works, right?”

 

“Yeah, but I’m too young to drink alcohol, so…” He shrugged. Jason resisted the urge to laugh--why did this kid remind him so much of Barry? 

 

“What’s got you so nervous? A girl? School?” He didn’t really care, but Barry was still sitting at his table, and he was a lot less suspicious when he was sitting with someone else. 

 

“Nah, it’s...it’s crazy.” The kid waved his hand. “Just...I’m meeting my family for the first time today.”

 

His words actually tore Jason’s attention from Barry for a second. “You adopted?”

 

He shook his head. “Nah, my mom left my dad before I was born. Then, she told me about him and my older sister a few weeks ago. She wanted to bring me here to meet them and introduce us, but her disease got worse…”

 

Jason stared at him, not sure what to say to a stranger whose whole world had been turned upside down. It’d been a while since he’d had real interactions with people.

 

“I wanted to see my sister and dad,” the kid continued. “Meet them, tell them what happened. But I keep saying ‘it’s not the right time, it’s not the right time’.”

 

Jason gave a nod, his eyes darting back to Barry for a second. “Then, the right time keeps moving further and further away, until you’ve hit that point where it’s almost too late to say anything because then you have to admit that you were scared to see them.”

 

The kid raised his eyes from his coffee. “Exactly. How did you know that?”

 

He tore his eyes away again and shook his head. “I...my family thought I was dead for a while.”

 

“Were you like in the military and went M.I.A?”

 

“Something like that.” He sighed. “I got back home about a year ago. My reunion with my adopted dad...well, it could’ve gone better. My brother moved here, though, and no one’s told him I’m not dead. I want to, but...I’ve changed so much. I was a teenager the last time he saw me. Isn’t it selfish to just come into his life and turn his world upside down?”

 

The kid pursed his lips in thought, then shrugged. “I don’t know. If I had a brother, I think I’d want to know he was alive, even if it was a hundred years later. Could you tell him any sooner than now?”

 

Jason thought about it for a moment. “Not really. The people who are responsible for me staying away are still out there. I didn’t want them at his door.” 

 

“Then I think he’d understand. Just talk to him. What’s the worst that could happen? He gets pissed? How bad of grudges does he hold?”

 

Jason had a flashback of itching powder mixed in his deodorant because he broke Barry’s science project. He shuddered. “Pretty bad. Nothing I can’t deal with though, I guess.” 

 

“My advice is to talk to him. He’s family. They’re supposed to love you no matter what.”

 

Jason nodded. “You need to see your family, too. They don’t even know you exist. They’re earning a whole new member of their family. They’ll be overjoyed you’re there.” 

 

The kid’s smile got even brighter. “Thanks.” He held out his hand. “I’m Wally, by the way.”

 

Jason stared at the hand and shook his head. “Jason.”

 

They fell into silence for about a minute, during which Barry stood up and headed for the door. Wally cleared his throat. “So...can I like, get your number?”

 

The request was a surprise, though it wouldn’t have been as unwelcome if Wally: A) didn’t look sixteen and B) didn’t remind him of Barry so damn much.

 

He shook his head. “Not this time, kid. It was a good try, though.” He gave Wally a wink as he climbed to his feet, tilting his hat so that the shadow of the brim covered his face more. Then, with one last smirk at Wally, he hurried after Barry.  

 


End file.
